An Officer and a Journalist
by Amelia Wolfson
Summary: Sequel to Hollow Undercover. The story picks up a few month after the last one ended. Rating for situations, events, and language.
1. Pregnant

**September 25, 1996  
Independence Inn  
0835 hours**

"Hey Sook!" Lorelai sang as she breezed into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. "Ah sweet elixir, how I've missed you."

"Morning," Her friend smiled, turning from the simmering pan she had been stirring, "Did your husband not feed you this morning?" She joked watching Lorelai drink her coffee as she absentmindedly played with the apple in her hand.

"Not today," Lorelai shrugged, "Luke is chaperoning Rory's field trip so they left early; it was nice to be able to sleep in a little bit. Unfortunately, someone forgot to set the alarm to get me up."

"Uh-oh, how much trouble is Luke going to be in?" Sookie shook her head in mock disappointment.

"None, I'm the one who forgot to turn the thing on before bed." Lorelai smiled and took a bite out of the apple. Sookie's eyes widened at the sight, "What?"

"How long have you and Luke been married now?" Sookie asked feigning nonchalance and turning back to the pan.

"A little over three months." Lorelai smiled, taking a seat at the kitchen island, still eating the apple.

"Things going good?"

"Things are going very good." Lorelai enthused, blushing a bit, "Luke is… well let's just say I'm getting really well acquainted with his tattoos."

"Tattoos?" Sookie couldn't hide her curiosity as she took a seat next to her friend, "As in more than one? I mean I knew about the one on his shoulder, everyone in town has seen that crest at the lake, but he has others?"

"Yep," Lorelai smiled mischievously, "He got a new one when we were on our honeymoon."

"What is it?" Sookie pressed. "Where is it?"

"It's right here," She pointed to her right hip just above where her leg met her torso, "Nothing fancy, just our initials L and L with our wedding date below it 6/3/96. He also got Rory's birthdate and adoption date on his left shoulder a couple weeks ago."

"At least he can't say he forgot your anniversary or Rory's birthday now." Sookie shrugged. The friends sat in silence a few more moments before Sookie spoke again, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai looked at her friend confused. "Why?"

"It's just," Sookie started, "Nothing, forget I said anything."

"No, Sook." Lorelai tilted her head as she gently took her friend's hand, "Is there something wrong? Is Jackson giving you a hard time about the wedding?"

"Oh no," Sookie laughed, shaking her head, "Jackson and I are fine, we're both really excited. I just never have seen you eat fruit before."

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai challenged, "You've seen me eat both your and Luke's peach, apple, cherry, and boysenberry pies."

"I know," The woman looked directly at her friend, "Just not fresh fruit before, in fact I've offered you fresh fruit several times before and you turned your nose up at it, even when I added marshmallows to the fruit salad."

"So?" Lorelai prompted, starting to get a little frustrated with her friend.

"So, I can't help but think about you telling me about your cravings with Rory." Sookie shrugged.

"What do you mean my cravings with Ro…" She looked down at the apple core in her hand, "No, it can't be."

"I know you two aren't trying, but you have been married a while," Sookie smiled softly, "And neither of you are exactly virgins, at least I hope not after being married three months."

"No we're not, but we haven't exactly been preventing either." Lorelai responded thoughtfully, "Do you think?"

"It's possible." Sookie confirmed, "When was your last, you know, visit?"

Lorelai counted back quickly in her head, "I think Aunt Flo's last visit was back in July, come to think; a couple weeks after the 4th of July Spectacular."

"It wouldn't hurt to check." Sookie shrugged, "But I wouldn't buy anything here. Taylor is just about as bad a gossip as 'Hello Magazine.'"

"You're right." Lorelai agreed, "And we wouldn't want Patty or Babette to say anything to Luke and have him freak out before we know anything for sure."

"You could swing over to Woodbridge Pharmacy and pick something up there." Came the suggestion.

"Yeah," Lorelai nodded, "I think I will. I have some time now, check out isn't for a couple hours and Michel can watch the desk for a little bit, Mia shouldn't mind."

"Good luck," Sookie waved as her friend headed towards the dining room, "Let me know how it goes."

"You'll be the first." Lorelai promised, waving back to her friend as the door swung closed behind her.

Twenty minutes later, the white bag from Woodbridge Pharmacy carefully tucked in her purse, Lorelai swung back into the kitchen. "Sookie?"

"What's up Chicken, did ya find out?" Sookie beamed up at her friend, wiping her hand on the apron around her waist.

"Not yet," Lorelai shifted between her feet, "I'm a little nervous. Would you mind?"

"I can't take the test for you, Hun." Sookie smiled softly back.

"No, I mean will you come with me upstairs and wait with me?" Lorelai clarified.

"Sure, I just finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes." Sookie nodded, untying her apron and laying it on a nearby workbench. "Lunch is already prepped and I have a bit until I need to start cooking, you want to go now?"  
Lorelai nodded and turned on her heel and headed towards the front of the Inn before grabbing a key to an empty room. Sookie followed close behind as they made their way to room seven and let themselves in. Sookie sat quietly on the bed as Lorelai pulled the plastic bag out of her purse and headed towards the bathroom door.

"I got a few of these, just to be sure." Lorelai explained, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I'll just be a few minutes."

"Okay." Sookie nodded, settling back against the plush headboard. Lorelai came out a few minutes later and sat quietly with her friend.

"We have to wait a few minutes for the tests to do their thing." She took a deep breath and sat in silence with her friend. "I wonder what Luke will think about all this. I mean he's good with Rory, and Jess never had too many complaints once he and Luke worked things out."

"I think he'll be excited." Sookie smiled, "Like you said, he's really good with Rory. Besides didn't you tell me that once he'd told you he wished he could have been Rory's biological father rather than just her adoptive father?"

"Yeah." Lorelai nodded, "I'm a little scared, though. What if it's too soon?"

"It's not too soon." Sookie soft voice was confident, "Rory is just finishing up grade school this year, old enough to understand that the baby might need more attention than she does at times, but not so old that she's disinterested in helping."

"That's assuming there is a baby." Lorelai nodded, "Oh crap! What if there's two? Or more? My mom and Aunt Hope are twins, what if there's two?"

"Double the cute?" Sookie suggested.

"Yeah, but that also means double the feedings, double the diapers, double the middle of the night crying jags from both the babies and me." Lorelai rambled, panic starting to rise in her chest.

"Hey," Sookie grabbed her hand and gently squeezed it, "You need to calm down; we don't even know if you're pregnant. If you are, they won't be able to tell if there's one, two, or a half million in there for a while yet."

"A half million?" Lorelai challenged, a small smile on her face.

"Well you and Luke are classic overachievers," Sookie joked, "You never know."

"Yeah, you never know," Lorelai repeated, checking her watch, "Okay, it's been a few minutes; I suppose I should go check."

"Yeah," Sookie nodded as Lorelai stood and walked quietly to the door. She came out, clutching three plastic sticks in her hand. "So?"

"I…" Lorelai looked at her friend before a large grin spread across her face, "I'm pregnant!"

"So I take it that's a good thing?" Sookie asked excitedly.

"Hell yes, it's a good thing." Lorelai enthused, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "I'm going to be a mom… again." She added softly.

"I'm so happy for you." Sookie hugged her back before wiping her happy tears of her dimpled cheeks, "Hey I gotta go start lunch, let me know as soon as you let Luke know. I want to know what his reaction is."

"Will do." Lorelai nodded, "Now go, I'll get things straightened up around here. Not a word to Mia."

"My lips are sealed," Sookie promised, "At least until you let me know it's okay to unseal them enough to tell Jackson. I'm so happy for you guys!"

"Me too, Sook. Me too." Lorelai smiled as her friend bustled out the door.

 **Danes Home  
1745 hours**

"Mmm, it smells good in here," Lorelai smiled as her husband pulled a pot roast, complete with vegetables out of the oven. "And it's not just you."

Luke just chuckled as he set the pan on the table before turning and pulling his wife into his arms, kissing her soundly. "Hey."

"Hi," Lorelai returned the greeting before rising up on her toes and pressing a soft but passionate kiss to his lips.

"Eww!" Rory exclaimed, from the door of her room. "You are going to make me lose my appetite." She teased.

"More for me, then." Lorelai smiled, grabbing a tomato out of the salad bowl and popping it in her mouth, not noticing the look her husband and daughter gave her. "Rory, would you please set the table?"

"Okay," Rory agreed before making quick work of setting out the flatware and utensils. As she reached into the drawer to grab the napkins, her hand hit a small box. "What's this?"

"Oh, that." Lorelai, quickly grabbed the box, "It's a gift for your dad." She smiled taking her seat next to Luke at the table as Rory handed them their napkins and took her own seat.

"But it's not Dad's birthday, or your anniversary, and it's way too early for Christmas." Rory started in.

"Yeah, what's going on?" Luke asked.

"Do I need a reason to spoil my favorite husband?" She asked, scooting the box across the table towards Luke. "Go ahead and open it."

Luke just gave her a suspicious look and did as she said. He gently removed the ribbon that held the box closed and lifted the lid, "What is this?" He asked, pulling out the thin plastic wand.

"It's a pregnancy test." Lorelai spoke softly.

Rory sat quietly watching the exchange between her parents, a smile blooming on her face as realization spread across her father's.

"You mean?" He started, still in shock as his brain struggled to grasp what she was telling him, "You are…"

"That's what the little plus sign means." Lorelai smiled.

All at once, Lorelai found herself engulfed in the strong arms of her husband as her daughter cheered. "I'm going to be a big sister! Please tell me you're not joking."

"Not joking, Sweets." Lorelai confirmed, "I'm pregnant."

"Lorelai," Luke smiled down at her, his voice choked with emotion, silent tears glistening in his eyes "Wow, I mean, Wow. You mean I'm gonna… I'm…"

"Yes," Lorelai smiled back and kissed him soundly, "Congratulations, Daddy Danes!"

"You're sure?" He asked, his voice tinged with excitement and hope.

"Well, I have to go to the doctor to be sure." Lorelai explained, "But I should be at least five or six weeks along. Probably about the time you adopted Rory. So are you happy?"

"Happy?" Luke asked, beaming, "Happy doesn't even begin to describe how I feel, excited, thrilled, proud…"

"But a little sad too?" Lorelai smiled gently noticing the subtle change in her husband's face.

"Yeah, I wish Dad was still here, or Mom." He nodded, "They would have been so thrilled to have a grandchild. I mean they would have loved Rory, don't get me wrong, but I feel like they're missing out. Mom never met Jess, and Dad hadn't seen Jess since he was a few weeks old."

"I'm sorry, Babe," Lorelai pulled him into her arms and rested her head on his chest. "If it makes you feel any better, your dad loved Rory."

"Yeah, Grandpa William used to come by a lot when I was little, he put up wallpaper in the potter's shed and fixed up stuff for us. He even built me a bed when I got too big for the crib Mia gave us." Rory added, "I was so sad when he died."

"I'm so glad you got to meet him." Luke smiled, opening his arm to include his arm in the hug, "I always had my suspicions, but never really knew for sure that you were who he was helping."

"I think on some level he knew that we would be his family someday." Lorelai stepped out of his embrace, "He mentioned a few different times that he wanted us to meet. He was actually talking about having a family dinner at the Inn for Christmas before he passed."

"I remember that." Luke smiled at the memory.

"I hate to break up the nostalgia train here," Rory interrupted, "But speaking of dinner, can we eat ours? Preferably before it gets cold?"

"Sure, Sweets," Lorelai smiled warmly at her eldest child, "The baby was getting hungry too."

With the excitement of the announcement still hanging in the air, Luke served his girls. Looking at his wife and daughter throughout the meal, he couldn't help but feel content with their growing family. He smiled gently as he imagined how beautiful Lorelai would look when she started to show. He didn't know if he would be having a son or a daughter, and he didn't care, he was happy.


	2. Letters - The Begining

**September 26, 1996**

 _Dear Jess,_

 _How are you doing? I know you've only been gone for a few weeks, but how are you liking Texas? I bet the weather is feeling better down there than it is here. It's already starting to cool off. Why is it that weather is always the first thing that people write about in these letters? You'd think at some point the human race would find better conversation, or letter writing as the case may be, openers than discussing the weather. I guess it doesn't matter because I didn't write to get your thoughts on the climate of our respective regions, I actually have news if you haven't already heard from Dad and Mom._

 _I don't know if you are aware of some of the odd eating habits of one Lorelai Danes (nee Gilmore) but she rarely ventures into the realm of what could be considered healthy foods when considering what to eat. However, the other day, she must not have been paying attention when she was talking to Sookie and picked up an apple and willingly ate it. Yes, you read right, Lorelai Danes actually ate an apple. Now for most this would not be cause for alarm, however with Mom it is. You see the only other times mom has eaten an apple that is not found in one of Grandma's famous Christmas tarts, was 12 years ago when she was pregnant with me._

 _I'm sure based on that last line, you know what is coming next. Yes, that's right you my friend are going to be a cousin. "Baby to be named later" Danes will be making their arrival into this world sometime in early May. I don't know how you feel about all that, but I can tell you I am so excited! I always wanted a little brother or sister and now I'm going to have one. Dad is absolutely over the moon. When Mom told him, he spun her around and started kissing her, it was disgusting but also kind of cool to see my normally reserved father acting so unabashedly happy._

 _That being said, we all miss you and wish you could be with us to celebrate. We all hope you are doing well at your new school and look forward to seeing you again come Thanksgiving. I wish it wasn't two months away, oh well. Have you read any good books lately? I just started rereading Tom Sawyer, I can't help but think that you would have been a little like young Tom had you come to us sooner. I can almost see you tricking some poor kid, likely me, into painting the garden fence. Anyway, this letter is getting to be longer than I expected and I don't want to overwhelm you with my verbosity (Mom got me a thesaurus for school, isn't that cool?). Write back when you can._

 _Regards,_

 _Rory Danes_

 **October 4, 1996**

 _Dear Rory,_

 _I was so glad to get you letter. Truth be told some of the guys here are a little dull and I was in dire need of intelligent conversation. Texas is fine, it's still a little warm here, and can be muggy, especially after a storm like we had last week. They call them monsoons, but it almost felt as if we should have had an arc at the ready and the animals rounded up two by two. It wasn't too bad, though; one of the drill fields got flooded, but after a few days it was back down to marsh standards. I don't know why so many people start their letters or conversations by discussing the weather, perhaps one day we'll have to look into that._

 _I did hear about your Mom; Luke called me the day after she made her announcement. Congratulations on being an older sister soon, I bet that is really exciting for you. I never knew that your mom had such a unique connection with apples; it is pretty funny when you think about it. Despite all the grousing and complaining my dear old uncle does about her eating habits, what is the chances that the best way to get her to do as he asks is to knock her up. Is she eating healthier all around now or is it just the apples? I guess I just assumed that it's more than just apples that she's craving lately. Keep me updated on the food front, I'm sure that will turn up some rather funny moments in the Danes household._

 _Is it bad that I kind of hope that it's a boy? Nothing against you, but I think it would be fun to have a boy cousin that Luke and I can go camping with once he's old enough. I guess it doesn't matter since we can take a girl with us camping too, would you ever consider going? Do you think your mom would want to?_

 _I haven't really had the chance to pick up anything new so I've likewise returned to my old literary haunts and am going through, as irony would have it, Huck Finn. Perhaps once we finish our respective books, we can swap? I don't think I have a copy of Tom Sawyer with me, I think I may have forgotten to pack it._

 _Well, I've got to go, it's nearly lights out. I guess you're not the only one who can be verbose in their writing. Anyway, they just started playing taps, so I'm going to sign off for the night. I look forward to hearing from you soon._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Jess_

 _P.S. Happy Birthday. It's coming up in a few days isn't it? Tell my dear old Uncle and his wife to spoil you rotten, this is the last year you can have all their attention._

 **October 14, 1996**

"Mail call," The sergeant called out, "Mariano, package!" He tossed a padded envelope onto the bed next to Jess' feet. As soon as the man continued onto the next student with a package, Jess opened the envelope wondering what could be inside.

The return address simply said Danes, Stars Hollow, CT but as the contents spilled out on the bed, he knew who it was from. Opening the book, he removed the letter that had been pressed into the pages.

 _Dear Jess,_

 _Thank you so much for the birthday wishes, your letter arrived right on my birthday so it made a nice change from the cards that came in. Mom and Dad didn't exactly spoil me but when I got to the diner for breakfast, Dad had decorated one of the tables with balloons and streamers. He even made me chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream, YUM! He's done the same for me every year since I've known him, so it's a nice tradition. I just hope it continues even after Baby Danes gets here._

 _Since we're on the topic of Baby Danes, I don't think it's bad that you want the baby to be a boy. I kind of hope it will be too, I think Dad needs a boy to balance things out now that you're off marching in the family's footsteps. I think it would be good for Dad to have a son anyway. After putting up with Mom and me all this time, I think it would be nice for him to have someone to throw the ball around with and train up in his outdoorsy sportsman ways. While I'm not objected to trying out camping, I doubt he'd be able to convince Mom to go any more rustic than a cabin with running water, heat, and electricity._

 _I'm totally okay with swapping books, when you're done with Huck Finn. To be honest, I know you forgot to pack Tom Sawyer because the copy I was reading is yours; it says "Property of Jess Mariano" and everything just inside the front cover. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to write in books? I bet the New York Public Library loved you. I did include Tom Sawyer with your letter, which you probably already know since they were both in the same package. I hope you enjoy reading it for what is most likely the billionth time, not that one can't find new meaning from a well-known book._

 _Anyway, I'll let you get back to whatever you are doing. I miss seeing you every day, I know it was only a short time, but I got so used to seeing you every day at the diner and talking books with you after school. Oh well, write back soon._

 _\- Rory_

Jess smiled down at the well-worn book on the bed and made a mental note to make sure to include Huck Finn with his next letter. Knowing he still had about a half hour before evening mess, he relaxed against the headboard of his bunk and delved into the world of Tom Sawyer.

 **November 6, 1996**

Rory hadn't heard from Jess in a few weeks and was wondering if his interest in being pen pals was starting to wane. Her fears were relieved when she saw Kirk working one of his hundred jobs around town as mail carrier. He was standing near their mailbox looking between the mailbox and the package in his hands as if trying to figure out how to fit the item into the box.

"Hey Kirk!" Rory smiled up at the odd man, "Is that for us?"

"Oh hello, Rory Danes," Kirk addressed her formally, "I have a package for you, Rory Danes. Says it's from Texas, who do you know in Texas?"

"Jess is in Texas for school, remember?" Rory reminded him, holding out her hands for the package. "You know you can just give me all the mail."

"No, I can't." Kirk shook his head, "The other mail is not addressed to you."

Rory just rolled her eyes, "You do know that I'm just going to take it all in once you leave, right?"

Kirk just huffed and stubbornly put the other mail into the box and walked on to deliver mail to the Dell's cat-shaped box. Rory shook her head and collected the mail before heading into the house.

Dropping the envelopes on the desk, she took her package and ran back into her room. Opening the box, she found four books, all classics. Huck Finn and the Tom Sawyer were on top, the other two books were Moby Dick and Gentle Ben. On top of everything was a pristine white envelope with her name scrawled across it in his precise handwriting.

 _Dear Rory,_

 _Sorry it's taken me so long to write back to you. We had midterms and I joined the drill team so my life has been busier than normal here. As such this will be shorter than our usual correspondence. As I'm sure you already noticed, I sent back some of my books, enjoy them if you like. For your information, it's not rude to write in your own books; I would also mention that I never defaced any library books, my personal thoughts are only included in the tomes I own. I do have a favor to ask of you, could you please send me some more books? I don't care what, just grab some stuff at random from my bookshelf._

 _I'm glad you had a good birthday, I seem to remember Uncle Luke doing something like that for me when I was younger. I'm glad that you and I are on the same page about Luke having a son. When do they find out one way or the other? Ugh, listen to me; I think I spent too much time in the diner Miss Patty and Babette's nosey ways have rubbed off on me… although I'm sure that's not all Miss Patty wanted to rub off on me._

 _I have some partly good/partly bad news for you guys, if you could please let Luke know. I have decided to stay in Texas for Thanksgiving, a few of the guys live nearby and I was invited to join their families here for the holiday. I know that you guys were probably looking forward to seeing me, but I don't see the point in flying up for just two days since I would have been flying in on Wednesday and out again on Friday. I know you guys have like three dinners you're going to go to anyway so I doubt I'll be missed, eat an extra slice of pumpkin pie for me._

 _Talk to you later,  
Jess_

 **November 11, 1996**

Jess had expected to have to wait at least a couple weeks for Rory to round up the books for him, but just a week after he'd sent his last package, he found a box on the foot of his bed. Again the corner of the package held his uncle's name and home address. Taking in the somewhat larger box, he was almost afraid of what it contained.

Pulling out the field knife that was attached to the belt of his fatigues, he quickly cut through the packing tape that held the package closed. Inside he found a stack of books, some he recognized as his own, a few he figured had likely come from Rory's own collection. He looked over the selections, frowning slightly when his gaze fell upon the dust jacket of _The Fountainhead_. "Ayn Rand? You've got to be kidding me, kid." He groaned.

Also included in the box was various packages of junk food, likely compliments of his aunt. There was also a hard-sided Colman cooler that contained no small amount of dry ice along with some of his holiday favorites including several slices of pumpkin pie, a small container of whipped cream, and sweet potato casserole made just the way he liked it with brown sugar and marshmallows. Whoever had packed it had also had the foresight to include some plastic forks, which made him smile. His stomach growled at the sight of the food reminding him that he'd barely eaten at lunch that day and dinner had left much to be desired.

Just like the last time, an envelope was tucked into the pages of a book, this time it was found between the pages of _A Farewell to Arms_. He swiftly settled onto his bunk with his food laid out in front of him, fork in hand as he took in the neat handwriting of his young pen pal.

 _Dear Jess,_

 _I hate you, okay maybe I don't hate you, but you make me sad that you won't be joining us for Thanksgiving this year. However, I expect you, in all your military school glory, to be home for Christmas, you have not experienced the holiday unless you've seen a Lorelai Gilmore-Danes Christmas. The only down side is that at some point we'll have to attend the grandparents' Christmas party. It's usually held midway through the month, so maybe you'll get lucky and not be back from school until then. The only good thing about their party is the apple tarts that are served. I'll try to save you some._

 _That being said, I hope the books and food we sent were well received, Dad says to tell you to share the food with your bunkmates, but Mom is saying to eat the pie and potatoes but keep the other stuff in your footlocker stash. I assume that means she's been sending you junk food for the past few months and not telling us. Oh and Mom said to tell you "dirty" and to stop corrupting my young mind; although I'm not exactly sure why. Dad was muttering something about Miss Patty needing to keep her hands to herself, though._

 _I'm glad to hear you've only defaced your own books, and not any ones that belonged to the public. I hope you enjoy the ones I sent, even the Ayn Rand book. I promise you if you read it, I'll do my best to suffer through "Old Man and the Sea," in my opinion one of the most painful books that painful author ever wrote._

 _I asked Mom about if she and Dad wanted to know the sex of the baby. She said they were planning on it, but wouldn't find out until after the New Year, so you'll have to wait to find out; I'm anxious too and am finding it hard to wait until then to find out. I hope that slaked you need for family gossip, let me know if there's anything else you wish for me to find out. Any way I'll see you for Christmas if I don't see or hear from you sooner._

 _\- Rory_

Jess couldn't help but smile at the letter, while it was all Rory - innocent as the day is long - he couldn't help but chuckle about her mother picking up on the innuendo or his uncle's reaction to it. Grabbing a book at random from the box, he settled back against his bunk as he polished off the last of the pie, whipped cream, and potatoes. He smirked thinking about how he must have picked up on the Gilmore way of eating at some point in the past year or so.

Opening one of the books from Rory's collection, he smiled at the small print that was clearly Rory's inside on the first page written in pencil. _Don't you dare write in this book Mariano, or I will disown you. I mean it, no peanuts… and no books either._ He laughed at the _Princess Bride_ reference and turned the page to immerse himself Harper Lee's _To Kill a Mockingbird_. What seemed like minutes later, he heard taps being sounded and hesitantly put the nearly half-read book under his pillow to be finished the next day.


	3. Home for the Holidays

**December 20, 1996  
Hartford - Bradley Field  
1745 hours**

"Jess!" He heard his name called from one side of the gathered mass of people awaiting the arrival of loved ones at the airport. Before he could fully pinpoint the direction, something –or rather someone- launched themselves against his side, wrapping their slender arms around his waist, a little higher up than the last time he had seen them. "I missed you so much! I've been reading a lot of your books and some others I found at the library that if you haven't read, you really should. I can't wait to sit down and discuss them with you… well once you're unpacked and everything, that is. Oh and there's a plate of apple tarts waiting for you at home, you are so lucky you didn't have endure Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas Party, although I do admit it would have been nice to have another kid there… not that you're a kid or anything, but everyone else there were adults. Even the adults who had kids around our ages didn't even bring them. It was so boring, I spent most of the time hiding in Grandpa's study with a pilfered tray of apple tarts. Did you know that Grandpa has a couple first addition Hemmingways? I figured you probably would get a kick out of that…"

"Rory," Jess half chucked/half huffed, "Take a breath, I'll be here for three weeks, no need to waste all your words on me in one day."

"Right," The girl blushed, "I just haven't heard from you in a while so I had some pent up stuff and I guess I just let it all out when I saw you. I missed you."

"I missed you too, kid." Jess smiled down at girl, who still had one arm around his waist while his was draped casually over her shoulder. "Have you grown?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm going through a growth spurt or something, I've gained like 3 inches since the beginning of the year." She smiled proudly as they made their way back to Luke and Lorelai, whose pregnancy was still hidden by her winter coat.

"How was your flight?" Lorelai asked, pulling the young man into a hug.

"Good, a little bumpy going in and out of Chicago, but otherwise fine." Jess nodded. "Hey Luke."

"Jess." Luke smiled, "Let's get you home. I bet you're tired after traveling all day."

"Just a bit, I'm a little hungry too." Jess admitted when his stomach started to growl.

"Dad has a roast and some potatoes in the crockpot for dinner." Rory smiled up at him, "The whole house has smelled soooo good all day; my mouth was watering so much."

"We should probably get my bags first," Jess suggested as his family nodded in agreement and headed toward the baggage claim to collect his old olive drab rucksack. A seemingly short 45 minutes later, Jess was unloading his bag in his room, tossing books and toiletries on his bed before dumping his clothes into the hamper by the door to wash later.

"Kids, soup's on!" Luke called out.

"Soup?" Lorelai responded, entering the kitchen, "I thought we were having pot roast."

"Haha," Luke rolled his eyes, "Sit down or no dessert."

"Are we talking dessert or _dessert_?" Lorelai quipped before pressing a not so innocent kiss on her husband's lips before shooting him a sultry look. It was hard to tell if the groan that Luke emitted was from arousal, aggravation, or a mixture of both.

"You know we can hear you." Jess smirked.

"Are all parents this gross?" Rory asked her cousin who just shrugged.

"Hell if I know, but these two are starting to gross me out." Jess teased, "Like it isn't already enough we have hard evidence that more than sleeping is done upstairs, but do we really need to see the foreplay floorshow?"

"Jess…" Luke warned him.

"Okay, okay," He raised his hands in mock surrender, "Letting it go."

"Could you please at least try to keep it to a PG-13 rating?" Rory asked, "I'm at a very impressionable age."

"If nearly 12 years with this one hasn't corrupted you yet," Luke playfully nodded toward his wife while carving up the roast, "I don't think you are corruptible."

"Hey!" Lorelai scoffed, "I did my best, but every time I try to talk to her about it, she sticks her fingers in her ears and starts singing lalalalala."

"I do not."

"You know, I think you really don't want her to be corrupted," Jess teased, "Otherwise you would have explained about Patty wanting to rub off on me."

"Jess!" Both the adults cried out, Lorelai blushed while Luke was starting to look like he was going to kill him.

"It's okay," Rory spoke softly to Jess so the adults wouldn't hear her, "I figured it out, so now I really can say 'dirty' to your little comment."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Luke shook his head in mock disappointment, having heard Rory's comment, "What with the queen of innuendo being your mother."

"Hey I resemble that remark!" Lorelai teased back.

"I know you do." Luke smiled softly as his wife, "And I love you for it, I just wish our 12-year-old could have retained some of her innocence for at least a little longer."

"Hello, kid in question right here." Rory interjected, "Speaking of kids in question, when do you find out if the baby is going to be a boy or a girl?"

"Nice segue," Lorelai teased, accepting the change of subject, "My appointment is the day after New Year's. Jess, when do you have to fly out?"

"Not until the 4th." Jess informed them before taking a bite out of his roast, "Oh my God, I missed your cooking, Luke. Not that the food at school is bad, but seriously the KP guys could take some pointers from you."

"Maybe I'll have to come down there and whip them into shape." Luke chuckled.

"Nah," Jess shook his head, "I wouldn't miss your cooking if you did. Then what would call me home?"

Luke just nodded, not trusting his voice. It was the first time since Jess had arrived nearly a year before that the boy had referred to Stars Hollow as 'home.' Luke was overwhelmed looking between his nephew, his daughter, and his beautiful bride, whose baby bump was just starting to show. _Mine_ , Luke thought as she smiled back at him. He felt like the luckiest man on the Earth, not only did he have stunning and brilliant wife, his daughter was just as intelligent and beautiful. Luke knew that he would likely have his hands full in a few years. He had a baby on the way, who he already desperately loved. His favorite part of the day was falling asleep curled up with his wife as his hand slowly traced her distended stomach.

He privately hoped the baby would be a boy, but even if it wasn't, he still had a boy he considered to be a son. Jess, however damaged he was before coming to them, was slowly healing and even the short time he'd spent at the Marine Military Academy had already started to make a positive impact on the boy. Not that Jess wouldn't be doing just as well attending Stars Hollow High and going through JrROTC there, but he seemed to be adapting to the school really well.

All in all, it was a good start to the holiday, his family was happy and healthy, his children were thriving, and he was married to the most beautiful woman in the world. _How did I get so lucky?_ Luke wondered, smiling at his family as they continued to enjoy their dinner.

 **December 24, 1996  
Luke's Diner  
1030 hours**

"Oh Lu-uuke!" Lorelai crowed, making her presence known not only to the owner but to the patrons of the diner as well. "Love of my life, father to my children, your beautiful wife is looking for you."

"Sit down, someone will be with you in a minute!" Came the disembodied voice of her husband.

She quickly took a seat at the counter and undid her coat, draping it over the back of her stool. A moment later, her favorite red coffee cup was placed in front of her. "Wait you're not Luke."

"How very perceptive of you," Jess smirked, pouring her a cup of decaf.

"Don't be a smart ass," She warned, lifting the cup to her lips before making a face as if she'd just smelled a skunk, "This isn't coffee."

"Yes, it is," Jess responded, Luke had warned him she would try to get him to give her the real stuff.

"No it's not," Lorelai insisted, "It's decaf."

"Uh-oh" Rory intoned as the bells above the door announced her presence, "That's a four letter word to a Gilmore Girl."

"It's a good thing you two are Danes Dames then." Jess teased.

"Luke, your nephew is trying to deny me the blessed elixir I require to live." Lorelai whined as her husband walked in from the kitchen.

"You gave her the decaf, right?" He asked pretending to have not heard the conversation.

"Yes, sir." Jess nodded before rounding the corner to take the order of some customers who had just sat down.

"You know you can't have regular coffee," Luke reminded her as he had done every morning since she'd announced her pregnancy. "Do you want the baby to have two heads?"

"More to love." Lorelai smiled back sweetly, "Besides I drank coffee all the way through my pregnancy with Rory and she turned out fine, she's even a genius who may be going to an exclusive prep school soon."

"She's the exception." Luke commented.

"Can I at least have half-caf?" Lorelai begged?

"No."

"Quarter caf?"

"No."

"A splash of caf?"

"How about I just take the coffee away?" Luke challenged, exasperation tinting his words.

"Decaf is fine…" Lorelai gave in, just like she had every time they had this conversation.

"Hey Dad can I…" Rory started.

"No." Luke cut her off, "You are too young for coffee."

"How did you…" Rory started before shaking her head, "Never mind. Hot chocolate please?"

"That we can do." Luke smiled before disappearing into the kitchen once more only to reappear a few minutes later with a large cup of whipped cream topped hot chocolate in one hand and two plates of pancakes balanced on the other. He quickly set down the cup and plates before his wife and daughter who immediately started comparing.

"I got Santa." Lorelai turned to her daughter, "What'd you get?"

"I think it's supposed to be an elf." Rory responded tilting her head back and forth a few times.

"It's Hermey." Luke muttered.

"How do you know?" Lorelai teased, "Do you have a secret love of old school Christmas specials?"

"It was my mom's favorite Christmas movie," Luke shrugged, "She used to get me, Liz, and Dad to watch with her every year."

"That explains it." Jess smirked, returning behind the counter, "Who knew you would take fashion tips from Yukon Cornelius?"

"Keep it up wise guy," Luke playfully cuffed his nephew on the back of the head, "If you don't watch it, I'll be watching you clean the grease traps out tonight at closing."

"Ooh, I'm so scared." Jess teased back, "Big bad boss man is going to make me do something that I have to do anyway."

Rory couldn't help but laugh at their antics as she quickly ate her breakfast. Sliding off her stool she pulled her coat back on and smiled at her family, "I'm going to head over to Lane's I want to make sure I get her Christmas Present to her before Mrs. Kim institutes the Christmas Eve lock down."

"Okay, have fun sweets!" Lorelai called to her. She likewise finished the last few bites of her pancakes and pulled on her scarf and coat. "I have to head to the inn anyway. If Michel is left too long on his own, he tends to scare the guests."

"What else is new?" Luke smiled before crossing around the counter and pulling his wife into his arms and placing a soft kiss to her lips that slowly began to deepen as they slipped into their own little world.

"If any of my last three husbands would have done that, they definitely wouldn't be exes." Miss Patty's jovial voice broke the spell. Luke flushed as he slowly released his hold on his wife.

"Oh, don't stop on our account," Babette joined in as Luke and Lorelai pulled apart, blushing slightly. "You two love birds keep on doin' what you're doin'."

"Maybe later, we'll teach a class." Lorelai smiled at the women who had become honorary aunts to her like much of the older residents in the town over the years, "But I really have to get to work. Bye Babe." She pecked her husband on the lips again before bouncing out of the door and walking to her jeep to drive back to the Inn.

"Hey Luke?" Kirk asked from the table he'd been silently watching from, "Can I get Santa or Elf pancakes?"

"No."

"But you made them for Lorelai and Rory." The odd man protested.

"Lorelai and Rory are my wife and daughter." Luke reminded him.

"So if I were family, would I get special pancakes?" He asked before spotting Jess exiting the kitchen, "Jess, would you marry me?"

"What?" The teen demanded.

"Ignore him, he's off his nut." Luke scoffed, "You are not getting special pancakes, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. And quit propositioning my family, Gleason!"

"You don't have to be mean about it." Kirk muttered, "You could have just said no."

Luke just let out a frustrated groan before stomping off to the kitchen leaving Jess and the other patrons of the diner holding their sides at how easily he let the strange man-child push his buttons.


	4. Christmas Day

**December 24, 1996  
Danes Home  
1800 hours**

"Remind me again why I have to get dressed up?" Jess complained, his suit jacket draped over his left arm as he entered the kitchen, still fumbling with the tie around his neck. After yet another unsuccessful attempt he tossed his jacket over the back of one of the chairs and flopped down on it.

"Because it's Christmas Eve, and we're going to church." Rory explained, exiting her bedroom before stepping in front of her adopted cousin to help him with his tie. "It's important to Luke, apparently it's an old Danes tradition to go to the Christmas Eve Candlelight service. Besides, it wouldn't kill ya to dress up once in a while. There, you're good to go." She smiled, running her hand down the silken material to make it lay flat against Jess' dress shirt.

"Thanks," Jess mumbled, loosening the tie a bit around his neck and unbuttoning the collar of his shirt. _Just because I'm in military school doesn't mean I can't rebel a little at home._ He thought to himself. "You look nice, by the way."

"You think?" Rory asked looking down at the black dress had a sparkling violet overlay which complemented her eyes. The dress had spaghetti straps and an empire waist below which lay and a straight skirt that brushed her knees. "It's not very Christmassy."

"Who says you have to wear red or green to be Christmassy?" Jess chuckled, "Aren't you going to be cold?"

"No," Rory shook her head before ducking into her room to emerge a minute later wearing a black sweater and a pair of black flats. "Thanks for reminding me."

"No problem," Jess nodded before grabbing his dark suit jacket from the back of his chair. "Now we just have to wait for Luke and your mom to finish up.

Almost as if summoned by his words, the adults entered the kitchen. Luke in a dark grey suit and Lorelai in a deep red dress that had sleeves that cut off just below her elbows, the dress skimmed over her body, barely concealing the baby bump, and flared at her hips. The skirt hit her just below her knees making the skirt sway seductively as she walked. She wore a low pair of black peep-toe heels that boosted her height to just above Luke's shoulder.

"Ready to go?" Luke asked, as the guys helped the ladies on with their coats before pulling their own coats on and headed into the cold for the short walk to the church. "Thanks for doing this, guys. I know none of us are particularly religious, but this was something my folks did every year, and I'd like to keep the tradition now that I've got a family to share it with."

"Oh Babe," Lorelai smiled up at her husband from where she walked arm in arm with him. "We are more than happy to do this with you. It's only an hour, and from what you told us, it may actually be enjoyable."

Luke smiled softly at his wife and placed a kiss on her temple as the family walked up the steps and into the small white building. The service wasn't to start for another 20 minutes and the sanctuary was already packed, they were lucky to find a row with enough room for all four of them to sit. After taking their seats and exchanging a few cordial greetings with the residents around them, their attention was drawn to the front of the room.

Miss Patty stood to the far right of the sanctuary her sequined red dress catching the light in the room. In front of her were two rows of children, most of whom were Rory's age or younger. She nodded to Maury and Andrew who started to play on their piano and violin respectively as the children began to sing _What Child Is This?_ Slowly the congregation rose to their feet and joined in the song. A few hymns later, Reverend Skinner told them they could take their seats. After Mrs. Weston read a passage outlining the Christmas Story, the preacher spoke briefly on the reason behind the holiday and the importance of family. As he was speaking ushers slowly made their way down the aisles, handing out thin tapers that had been pushed through paper shields.

The pastor quickly explained the purpose of the candles being representations of God's light shining in the dark world before taking his own taper and lighting it from one of the candles on the altar. Someone turned out the light as the middle-aged man of the cloth made his way to the first row of residents, lighting a few of their candles before crossing the aisle and lighting their candles as well. Slowly, neighbor by neighbor, the room began to glow with the shared light from their candles as the children's choir under Miss Patty's direction began to sing _Silent Night_. Not long later, the lights were turned on, candles extinguished, and the community was invited to gather in the fellowship hall for refreshments.

By the time the Danes family arrived home, Rory was asleep and being carried in by Jess. She had been so tired walking home and had bumped into Jess more than a few times before he had eventually just swept her up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way home with her arms around her neck and her head nestled against his chest. Once they were through the door, Luke instructed Jess to just lay Rory down on her bed and Lorelai would be in shortly to get the girl ready for the night. He nodded quietly and followed the older man's instructions before heading up to his own room to exchange his suit and tie for a t-shirt and flannel pajama pants.

While Lorelai was helping Rory get changed, Luke quickly set the presents under the tree. While he knew that Rory didn't believe in Santa, he figured that he should get used to waiting to place the gifts until the night before because before too long there would be another child who might hold onto Santa for a while. Smiling to himself as he laid a thin rectangular package under the tree, he allowed himself to fantasize over his wife's reaction to the gift the next day.

"Alright, she's in her pajamas, tucked in, and sleeping soundly, do you need any help in here?" Lorelai asked, entering the living room.

"Nope, I got everything handled here," Luke smiled adoringly up at his wife before turning off the tree lights and getting up, "Why don't I put you to bed too."

"Sounds good, but only if I get my favorite Lukey Bear to sleep with." Lorelai teased, using a childish voice when she referred to Luke as a teddy bear.

"I think we can figure something out." Luke teased, lifting his wife into his arms and carrying her up the stairs. Once they were through the door of the bedroom, Lorelai insisted he wait for her while she took off her makeup and changed into her nightie. A few minutes later his wife emerged fresh faced but wearing a short, red silk nightie that had a slit nearly all the way up her left thigh and was edged in black lace.

"I hope this is what you meant when you said you wanted to put me to bed." Lorelai teased suggestively, walking slowly to her husband before climbing onto the bed and straddling his pajama clad legs.

"No, but I'm not complaining," Luke husked, pulling his wife too him as he kissed her, his hands exploring his wife's body as his mouth explored hers. As he ran his hands up her legs and slipped them under the slip of silk fabric, he was pleasantly surprised to find the short nightie was all she was wearing. Luke softly groaned with pleasure as Lorelai pressed her soft body closer to his which was growing ever more rigid. Eventually her hands found their way under his shirt as she slowly began to trail her fingers over ab muscles before dropping them lower to play with the waist band of his red and green plaid pajama pants.

Barely able to restrain himself, Luke growled and flipped them over so Lorelai was laying beneath him. He stared at her intently for a few moments before Lorelai let out a sultry giggle which sent shivers of pleasure down his spine. "You gonna kiss me or are you waiting to find some mistletoe?"

"I've got your mistletoe right here," Luke smiled at her roguishly, his eyes promising pleasurable things to come.

 **December 25, 1996  
Luke and Lorelai's bedroom  
0013 hours**

"Wow," Lorelai smiled softly as she snuggled up to her husband's bare chest. "That was… incredible. If I weren't already pregnant, I would be after that."

"I was inspired." Luke grinned at his wife, as he pulled the blanket up over them.

"I could tell," Lorelai giggled, "The 'mistletoe' wasn't half-bad, either."

"Half-bad?" Luke challenged.

"It was wonderful, fabulous, the best I've ever…" Lorelai's words were cut off by her husband's kiss. "It was pretty great." She smiled.

"I'm glad, you enjoyed it, but we should probably get some sleep before the kids wake up." Luke kissed her nose, "You should probably find something to wear too, that tiny excuse of a nightgown you had on earlier is enough to wake a dead man but I doubt Rory would want to see you in it."

"I doubt she does either." Lorelai smiled, slipping from the bed to pull on an old blue and black flannel shirt of Luke's. She only fastened the middle three buttons, letting the bottom and top flair out to accentuate her curves. Lorelai chuckled when she saw her husband looking dumbly at her, halfway through pulling his pajama pants back on. "Here let me help." She smiled sweetly at him, slowly guiding the fabric the rest of the way up and taking her time with the ties around his waist 'accidently' grazing his more sensitive areas in the process.

Luke let out a guttural groan, "You are going to be the death of me, woman." He growled softly in her ear, before placing his hands on her bare waist and pulling her closer as his lips traced her jaw softly.

"That may be." She smiled as his lips met hers, "But what a way to go."

"As much as I would love an encore performance, you know Rory will be bursting through that door in less than six hours demanding that we open presents." Luke reminded her, "We should probably get to bed, to sleep this time."

"I hate it when you're right." Lorelai sighed, placing one more kiss on her husband's stubbly cheek before climbing into bed and curling up to him one more time to rest until the break of day. "Good night Luke."

"Good night Lorelai."

 **December 25, 1996  
Danes Home  
0849 hours**

Luke enjoyed mornings like this, when he could wake up with his wife in his arms. He'd become especially fond of them recently when he noticed the slight change in his wife's body. Reveling in the many hours he'd spent gently running his hand over her bump in the weeks since it had appeared. _That's my kid in there._ He thought proudly. Luke had awoken some 30 minutes ago to a silent house, and like he did nearly any time he got a chance, he watched his wife sleeping. Even after being friends with her for nearly 7 years and together for nearly three of those, he couldn't get over how beautiful she was. For the life of him, he still could not understand why she chose him. It was at that moment his wife started to stir. "G'morning." Luke purred in his wife's ear as she slowly started to awaken

"'Morning." Lorelai responded sleepily, rolling over to face him. "What time is it?"

"About ten to nine." Luke pulled her closer to him so that her head now rested on his chest.

"That's weird." Lorelai murmured, waking up, "I would have expected them, or at least Rory to have come in by now. She usually has me up by seven to open presents."

"It is awfully quiet." Luke observed, then a moment later a thought occurred to him, "Wait, we have two teenagers in the house, isn't it odd that it's so quiet?"

"One teen, one pre-teen." Lorelai corrected, "But you're right, there ought to be some sign of life by now. I mean Rory zonked out on the way home from church last night and Jess went up right after putting her in her bed."

"Maybe they just wanted to let us sleep." Luke suggested.

"No, if there's one thing Danes Dames can't resist, it's presents." Lorelai sat up, fastening the rest of the buttons on the flannel shirt she was wearing before walking to her dresser and grabbing a pair of black leggings. "They're up to something and I intend to find out." She stated ducking into the bathroom.

Luke just chuckled and shook his head before getting up himself and getting dressed. Grabbing a clean pair of jeans and a red and green flannel, feeling festive on his first real family Christmas in a while, he quickly got dressed. By the time he was pulling on his socks, Lorelai reappeared in the bedroom, hair brushed and pulled up in a ponytail, and teeth brushed. She must not have felt like putting in her contacts that morning as she was wearing her thick framed glasses when she came out.

"You don't want to ever leave this room do you?" Luke teased, standing and pulling her into his arms, "You know what those glasses do to me."

"On the contrary, I want my gifts," Lorelai smiled up at him before placing a soft kiss on his lips. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to get on you about those late library returns later." She cooed, running her hands from his lower back, where they had naturally gone when he embraced her, down to pinch his ass.

"I can't wait." Luke husked in her ear, "Now let's go see what kind of trouble those kids of ours have gotten themselves into."

"If we must," Lorelai feigned disappointment before turning and flouncing out of the room and toward the stairs with her husband hot on her heels. "I smell coffee." She murmured.

"One cup, that's it." Luke didn't want to go through the same argument today, "And only because it's Christmas."

"I'll take it!" Lorelai beamed back at him before making her way down the stairs. Just before reaching the first landing, she called down the kids, "I know you both must be awake by now, if you're doing anything illegal, stop it before we get down there."

The only response she got was a girlish giggle from her daughter, and a slight chuckle from her husband's nephew. The two were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, still in their pajamas, and tossing a wrapped chocolate orange between each other. They had gotten their stockings down and each had a large cup of steaming liquid on the coffee table in front of them.

"That had better be the hot chocolate that was in your stocking, young lady." Luke warned, looking at the mugs.

"It might be," Rory smiled up at him, "Or perhaps I convinced my dear cousin to make me a mocha this morning."

"Rory…" Luke intoned.

"Daddy..." Rory copied the tone, adding her patented 'Rory eyes,' "It's Christmas, I think I should be entitled to one treat on this most holy of days."

"You are letting me have one cup of coffee," Lorelai pointed out, "It's just a mocha, and knowing Jess, it's probably mostly cocoa."

"Yes ma'am," Jess looked over his shoulder at the adults with a smirk before turning back to toss the chocolate orange to the girl across from him.

"Fine, just today, and just that cup." Luke gave in.

"Thank you Daddy!" Rory responded brightly before returning to her game of catch.

Luke just shook his head, knowing he was well on his way to being the biggest pushover ever that day. While his wife got settled in the living room with the kids, he quickly poured her a cup of coffee and made some tea for himself before joining the rest of the family for gifts.

All in all, everyone loved their gifts, and enjoyed the looks on each other's faces as their loved ones opened the gifts they had given them. A little later Luke made lunch while the kids got dressed in preparation for the Gilmore Elders' arrival. After lunch another smaller exchange of gifts with the grandparents happened, both children each receiving a first edition novel from Richard. Once the Gilmores left, the rest of the day was quieter, Rory and Jess went outside to play in the freshly fallen snow. Rory had inherited her mother's affinity to the cold white stuff, and Jess was just happy to be out of the warm, muggy, Texas weather for a while.

The rest of the day was passed like any other, eventually Rory and Jess got tired of being outside, or rather were told to come in after one too many snowballs were aimed at the misshapen head of one Marshall Kirkland Gleason who had been walking by repeatedly doing his "rounds" in the small community. Laughing they came in and retreated to their respective bathrooms with dry clothes to warm up and change.

As the sun began to set, Luke was struck again at how lucky he was, he had passed through the living room on his way to make dinner when he took in the scene. At some point in the day, he'd lit a fire I the small fireplace and had been keeping it stoked the whole day. Rory and Jess had taken the large afghan from the back of the couch and laid it in front of the hearth where they now laid, each reading their respective books, pausing occasionally to share a specific excerpt or observation with the other.

"They really do get along don't they?" Lorelai asked, breaking him from his reverie as he stood on the landing of the stairs. She'd been upstairs taking a nap as her pregnancy was slowly starting to wear her out.

"Yeah they do." Luke smiled back at her before pulling her into his arms and placing a soft kiss on his wife's forehead. "I think they're even closer now than when he lived here."

"I think it's the letters they've been sending back and forth," Lorelai observed, "I think it's nice that they're close. Sure beats constant fighting, doesn't it?"

"That's true," Luke agreed, "Liz and I were always at each other's throats, I'm sure my dad would have preferred it if we'd been more like these two, especially after Mom passed."

"You do know we can hear you." Jess commented, not looking up from his book.

"Yeah, quit talking about us like we're not here." Rory echoed, never breaking her focus on the page in front of her.

"Parents," Jess joked, "Jeeze, you'd think they'd know not to be so rude."

"No kidding," Rory agreed, "I think we shall have to teach them a lesson in etiquette before my little brother or sister get here."

"Alright," Luke chuckled, "Point taken. Jeeze." Smiling at the two kids he shook his head good-naturedly and headed into the kitchen to whip up some tomato soup and grilled cheese which had been requested after the snowball incident earlier that day.

"Hey at least we were only saying good things." Lorelai pointed out, taking a seat on the couch. "Why are you two all the way over there, on the ground I might add, when we have a nice big comfortable couch and a remarkably soft chair both perfect for reading on?"

"Wow, Auntie Lorelai," Jess teased, "Didn't anyone ever tell you the best way to enjoy classic literature…"

"Especially classic literature in first edition form," Rory added.

"…is to read it by fire light?" He smirked, "Generally it's better laying on a bearskin rug, but alas all we had was this old afghan."

"Perfectly placed afghan, I might add." Rory piped in, "Not so close that it runs the risk of catching itself, or us, on fire; but not so far away that we can't enjoy the warmth of the flames or perhaps toast marshmallows if we deem they are needed."

"A well thought out and executed plan." Lorelai complimented them, "I'll leave you to it then." She smiled before walking into the kitchen to see how her husband was coming along with dinner.

She smiled watching as Luke split his time stirring the homemade soup on the stove and flipping the sandwiches that he had cooking on an electric griddle that rested on the island. No matter how many times she'd watched him cooking for their family or just for them on the rare nights Rory stayed with the Kims, it never got old. She loved watching as the muscles on his back shifted and rolled with each precise movement. She flushed, realizing how it affected her. _God, he's so sexy,_ she thought to herself, _the things I want to do to him right now. Huh, I wonder if this is what Babette was talking about, she warned me that something like this might happen._ What Lorelai didn't realize was that she'd been standing in the doorway to the kitchen with a stupid grin on her face for long enough that Luke took notice.

"Earth to Lorelai," He smiled, waving his hand in front of her face "You get hit with a stun gun or something?"

"No, just thinking," Lorelai smiled easily at him, "No need to send Doctor Crusher to evaluate me or anything, my silly Trekkie hubby. I was just thinking about something that Babette told me when we first announced the pregnancy."

"Do I even want to know?" Luke chuckled, "I take it there's a 'dirty' somehow involved in that conversation."

"Just a small one." Lorelai shrugged, taking a seat on one of the kitchen stools that were lined up on the other side of the island. "She said that when she was pregnant with Moira, once the morning sickness was finally over and her second trimester started, her hormones went crazy and she had a hard time keeping her hands to herself. And I quote, 'It's a damn good think I was traveling with Morey on his jazz club tour or else I can't imagine what trouble I might have gotten into while he was gone. Let me tell you, those clubs weren't the only thing happening back then.'"

"Oh, jeeze," Luke groaned, "I so didn't need to know that about my ex-girlfriend's parents."

"I forgot you and Moira used to date." Lorelai laughed.

"It didn't last long," He shrugged, "It was just for about a month in junior year, long enough to go to prom, but we decided a few weeks later we were better as friends."

"Very logical," Lorelai nodded, "Oh hey, I just got a great idea, isn't Moira dating that one detective from Hartford?"

"Who Chuck? Chip?" Luke tried to recall the name.

"Charlie." Lorelai supplied, "Seems like a nice enough guy. Why don't we invite them to join us at the New Year's Eve Party at the Independence Inn?

"Sure, I'll give Moira a call after dinner, see if they're available." Luke nodded before sticking his head in the hall and calling the kids in for dinner.

Minutes later, the family were seated around the table, enjoying one of their rare family meals together. Not that it lasted long, both Rory and Jess, eager to get back to their books practically inhaled their food and dashed back to the living room, but not before Jess snagged a bag of large toasting marshmallows from the pantry.

Later that night, Luke and Lorelai found Rory and Jess passed out in front of the fireplace, Rory resting her head on Jess' stomach, both of them with their books laid across their chests. The nearly empty bag of marshmallows lay not too far from Rory's knee near a couple of brass roasting sticks that Jess must have liberated from the garage at some point. Both sticks had evidence of having recently had the left over gooey pits charred off the end so as to make cleaning them easier.

"Think we should wake them?" Lorelai asked her husband quietly.

"Nah, they'll eventually wake up when they get stiff and head to bed themselves," Luke shook his head, "Now about what you were saying before about crazy hormones. Is there anything I can do to help you with that?"

"I can think of a few things," Lorelai responded coyly, running her hand down her husband's front and caressing his jean-clad thigh, "But first these have got to go."

"Upstairs." Luke growled in her ear. That was all the encouragement she needed, luckily the kids were too tired to be awoken by the joyful squeal that was emitted by the Danes wife.


	5. Auld Lang Syne

**December 31, 1996  
Independence Inn  
2330 Hours**

Lorelai and her staff had done a beautiful job of decorating the social venue for the evening. Twinkle lights lit the dark room like stars lit the night sky. The mixture of high tops and regular tables were decked out in blue tablecloths, some with bowls of water that held floating votive candles. Other larger tables simply had three tiered candles as the centerpieces. It was all very romantic.

Sookie had set up two long serving stations, stocked with a variety of foods from hors d'oeuvres to salads, main dishes and sides to desserts. There were also two drink stations tucked into the corners and a system had been worked out for those who were old enough to enjoy an adult beverage wore a yellow bracelet denoting them as such. Of course for the younger attendees and those who wished to stay sober, a variety of sodas, water, and sparkling juices were available as well.

In the center of the room was a large wooden dance floor with pillars on each corner with blue and silver banners hanging from the chandelier directly above the center of the floor down to each pillar where the fabric was draped elegantly. The chandelier's lights glowed dimly adding to the mysterious and romantic air of the evening.

Lorelai had been thrilled that Moira and Charlie had both been able to come to the event. Over her time in Stars Hollow, especially once she and Luke started dating, she'd slowly gotten to know the police chief and had become good friends with her. Moira had been dating Charlie for a while now, and Lorelai couldn't help but smile at the pair who were clearly in love. As much as she would have loved to say hello to Moira, she knew she had to keep her distance, at least for now. Charlie had called her a few days before and asked her opinion on a gift for his girlfriend. With Lorelai's guidance he was able to pick out the perfect piece that suited the woman he'd fallen for.

"The place looks great," Luke whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "And you are breathtaking."

"Oh stop," Lorelai demurred, hand running down the flowing navy blue dress, she'd worn for the night. It had capped sleeves, a deep scoop neck which displayed her naturally enhanced cleavage, the empire waist gathered just below her bust and then flowed down to the floor. The material hugged close enough to skim over her curves, including her ever burgeoning bump, but not so much to overly accentuate the baby bump either. Luke had worn a dark grey suit with a tie of the same satin material of his wife's dress.

Scanning the crowd, she spotted Jess who was at the table the family had claimed for themselves, reading but occasionally shooting looks toward the dance floor where Rory and Lane, who had somehow convinced her mother to let her stay with the Daneses, danced with abandon. Lane wore a dark red dress with a bow in the back and Rory wore a short sleeved silver dress with a less generous scooped neck than that of her mother's outfit, the bodice fit comfortably along her sides before flaring out into and A-line skirt. Around her waist was a navy blue sash which matched the color her parents were wearing.

Sookie and Jackson were snuggled up at one of the smaller tables in the corner still reveling in their newlywed status. They had married the day after Thanksgiving and had only just gotten back from their honeymoon a couple weeks before Christmas. Lorelai smiled remembering the simple ceremony, although she had teased the groom mercilessly, she had secretly thought it was cool that his family had insisted he stay with the tradition of wearing the family tartan – complete with the knee socks – as all the men before him had. Sookie had even gone as far later as to inform Lorelai, blushingly, that Jackson had been totally traditional in the wearing of the kilt, even going so far as to allow for a little wiggle room beneath… if you caught her drift. Causing Lorelai to respond with the requisite "Dirty."

Moira was also looking very lovely that night. She'd worn a simple black wrap dress with ¾ sleeves and tall red pumps for a pop of color. Her blond hair had been piled up on top of her head and she wore simple drop earrings and a white gold chain around her neck. She looked incredibly happy to be in Charlie's arms on the dance floor as they swayed in time with the music. Charlie wasn't a slouch either; he'd worn a simple charcoal suit a few shades darker than Luke's and a red tie. He smiled as he whispered sweet nothings into her hear causing her to alternately blush and chuckle at his words.

At 11:55, the DJ called out that it was nearly time for the ball to drop as screens were lowered and a feed of Dick Clark's New York New Year's Eve was projected for all to see. The wait staff quickly made their way through the crowd handing out champagne and sparkling cider to the attendees before grabbing glasses themselves as the ball began its slow descent. As it got down to the last 30 seconds, the crowd began to count down with the numbers on the screen.

"10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year!" The cried in unison as friends hugged and lovers kissed, a moment later another cry punctuated the celebration.

"Oh my God!" Came a voice from the corner of the floor, "Yes, Charlie, Yes!"

The crowd turned just in time to see the detective from Hartford slip the ring on the police chief's slim finger before standing and pulling her into his arms for their first kiss as an engaged couple. Everyone cheered and applauded, while Moira and her fiancé beamed as their friends and family swarmed them. Babette's cheeks were moist with tears of joy, and if someone had looked closely to her usually stoic husband they might have noticed him flicking a finger beneath his trademark shades as he pulled his not so little girl in to a hug whispering his congratulations.

Another round of champagne and sparkling cider were passed to toast the couple and the DJ played a special song just so they could have their first official dance together as an engaged couple. Shortly after, the residents headed up to their rooms, the whole inn had been blocked off for residents to stay in after the celebration so as to discourage anyone trying to drive after the night's festivities.

The Danes family slowly made their way up to their rooms, Luke and Lorelai in room 16 and the kids in the connected double room next door. They had gone round and around debating whether Jess should have his own room or if it would be okay for him to share with the girls. Eventually the decision was made for them as the blocked rooms began to fill. It was decided that Rory and Lane would share one of the double beds and Jess would have a bed of his own. Although they realized that this would be the last year that this kind of arrangement would likely work. As much as Lorelai hated to admit it, her daughter was growing up.

Jess was doing well in school himself and was even talking about staying for summer session that year and next so that he could graduate and head off to the Naval Academy a year sooner. _Don't grow up too fast, little one._ Lorelai thought, placing a protective hand over where her husband's hand rested on her baby bump. They had just crawled into bed a few moments before but she could already hear her husband's soft snores. Smiling softly at her family's bright future, she drifted off to sleep.

 **January 2, 1997  
Woodbridge Women's Wellness Center  
1000 hours**

"Mr. and Mrs. Danes, Dr. Sheppard will see you now." The slight nurse called them back. Luke, Lorelai, as well as Rory and Jess followed her into the exam room. It was a tight squeeze with the ultrasound machine there, but they didn't care. The nurse quickly took Lorelai's vitals and left the room. A few moments later, Dr. Sheppard knocked on the door and stepped in. He was an older man with dark skin, white hair, and a kind face, he had been seeing Lorelai since she had moved to Stars Hollow.

"I see you brought the whole entourage with you today, Lorelai," He smiled warmly. "I'm guessing everyone is pretty anxious to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl."

"You have no idea." Lorelai smirked, up at the doctor.

"All the crazies have already started a pool, wearing pink or blue ribbons depending on if they think it's a boy or a girl." Luke added, rolling his eyes.

"I know how that is, here in Woodbridge we have the same kind of oddness, although I think Stars Hollow is a little prouder of their amusingly crazy residents." The doctor chuckled, "Okay, Mama, let's see how we're doing here."

After a quickly listening to her heart and lungs, he had Lorelai lay back on the table. Lifting her shirt a bit, he checked to make sure everything was progressing correctly physically. "Okay, you ready to get a good look at the little one?" He asked, the family excitedly nodded. He made quick work of squirting the conductive gel on Lorelai's stomach and passing the small wand over her abdomen. Clicking a few buttons and flipping a switch a whooshing sound filled the room, "There's the heartbeat, good and strong. Looks like this one's a bit shy."

"Uh oh, sounds like someone takes after Daddy." Lorelai teased, squeezing her husband's hand as he stood giving her a quick smile before returning his attention to the images on the screen.

"Oop, here we go," The doctor announced, "Let me just get a few pictures here, smile for the camera, little one. Okay, now comes the moment of truth, do you want to know?"

"Yes," Lorelai, Luke, and Rory nodded, Jess just shrugged from his place in the corner of the room trying not to let anyone know how impressed he was at all that was going on.

"Well congratulations, Danes family," The doctor smiled up at them, "You're having a…"

 **January 2, 1997  
Independence Inn  
1300 hours**

"Oh my God, I can't believe it!" Sookie enthused, looking over the ultrasound pictures her best friend had presented her with.

"I know; Luke could not be happier right now." Lorelai smiled, "He's probably strutting around the diner grinning like an idiot right now."

"I am so happy for you." Sookie repeated, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "You haven't told anyone but me, right?"

"Nope, you, Caesar, and Lane are the only ones outside of the immediate family who know." Lorelai confirmed, "We stopped at my parent's house for lunch and told them then. Dad is just about as thrilled as Luke is right now. Mom is just happy to be a grandma again."

"I am going to make you the perfect cake to hand out at the meeting tonight." Sookie crowed, "How would you feel if I died the cake? I think it would be pretty neat, don't you?"

"Whatever floats your boat, Sookie-Sue." Lorelai laughed, "I gotta get back to work before Michel kills someone."

"Okay!" Sookie nodded. The moment Lorelai was out of the kitchen; she began to collect the items she needed to make the cake. Aside from red velvet cake, she'd never seen a cake dyed before, but she figured if it was possible to turn a cake blood red, she could at least dye a normal sponge cake. "Lukie, and the Lorelai, and the family. Lukie, and the Lorelai, and the family." She hummed to herself as she bopped around combining the ingredients in perfect Sookie fashion.

 **January 2, 1997  
Miss Patty's Dance Studio/Town Hall  
1800 hours**

"Attention, attention everybody!" Taylor called over the din trying to get the residents to quiet down enough so that he could be heard. "Thank you." He nodded as soon as everyone took their seats. Before long he was talking about the next inane thing on his growing list of grievances, this time it was wanting to place a velocity restriction on snowballs being thrown by the town's youth who were enjoying their last few days of freedom before returning to school. Of course, no one but Kirk took the older man seriously, which aggravated him to no end. His aggravation only worsened when partway through his rant about irresponsible parents who allow their children to throw snowballs that fast, the sliding barn door opened, allowing the Danes family entry.

"I told you, we were going to be late." Luke groused.

"But Luke, I needed sustenance." Lorelai mock whined, "How did you expect your poor wife and daughter…"

"What am I, chopped liver?" Jess teased.

"And your nephew," Lorelai amended, "To starve to death during the meeting."

"I hardly think you would starve to death in the course of an hour." Luke rolled his eyes as the family took their seats."

"Hey watch it, mister," Rory poked her father in the arm, "She's carrying your child who is half Gilmore and needs nearly constant sustenance."

"What did I get myself into?" Luke sighed exaggeratedly before handing the paper bags off to his family who quickly pulled out burgers, fries, and onion rings as he munched on chicken wrap and carrot sticks."

"Do you mind?" Taylor huffed from his place behind the podium.

"Not at all," Lorelai shook her head and swept her hand in front of her in the universal sign of 'please, continue.' Before turning back to the hamburger she was making quick work of.

Taylor just rolled his eyes and continued on his rant about snowball velocity and the hoodlums who would dare pelt a town official with said snowballs. After another 20 minutes new business was allowed. Sookie quickly stood and announced that she had brought cake, but that Luke and Lorelai had to be the ones to cut the first piece.

Lorelai immediately popped up from her seat and made her way to the front of the room with her less enthusiastic husband following. "I'm sure you're wondering why we called you all here today." She joked, "And it wasn't just to listen to Taylor prattle on about useless nonsense. As many of you know Luke and I had an appointment this morning to determine the sex of the baby. Sookie was kind enough to make this cake for us, it's my understanding that once we cut into it; you'll know what we know." She looked back to her friend who nodded in confirmation. "Okay, here goes nothing."

Lorelai and took the knife from Luke and slowly cut into the cake, it was iced in white whipped cream frosting with yellow, blue and pink blocks piped on the top. Making another cut into the cake, she was able to remove one of the corners, but before lifting the piece free, she looked up at the town who all waited with bated breath. "You ready?" She asked and the lifted the slice onto a small plate before holding it up for all to see.

Beneath the pure white frosting was a vanilla sponge cake that had been dyed a bright blue. The crowd exploded in cheers and 'I told you so's, as money changed hands throughout the group. While the town congratulated Luke and Lorelai on their little boy, Sookie and Jackson made quick work of divvying up the cake to the excited residents.


	6. Letters - Round Two

**January 12, 1997**

 _Dear Rory,_

 _Sorry I didn't get a chance to call when I got back. My flight was delayed and it was too late to call you guys by the time we landed. Please tell Luke that I'm sorry._

 _I really don't have much to say beyond that, between you, your mom, Lane, and Sookie, not to mention Luke (when did he get so chatty, I blame exposure to you two), I think I got all talked out for a while._

 _I do have a favor to ask, I think I forgot my notebook on the bookshelf near my bed. Would you please send it to me?_

 _Thanks,_

 _Jess_

 **January 20, 1997**

 _Jess,_

 _I totally understand not wanting to call us in the middle of the night; I know how cranky Dad gets when he's trying to sleep and someone calls us. I know you're busy at school and all, but you could have called the next day. I suppose it doesn't really matter at this point, I passed on your apology to Dad, so you can put it behind you now._

 _I did find your notebook, and since you found this letter stuffed between the pages, I'm sure you've figured out I read some of it. I didn't see anything indicating it was a journal, I thought it was just something you needed for school. I had no idea you could write this well. I mean I know you read a lot, nearly as much as I do… but then again, what is much?_

 _You write beautifully, I bet you could be published if you ever set your mind to it. I know that everything in these pages are just random stories and ideas, but if you ever set your mind to writing a book, even a short novel, I think you would do really well._

 _Anyway, I should get going, Dad's already come down a couple times to tell me it's lights out. I'll talk to you later._

 _-Rory_

 **February 3, 1997**

 _Hey Rory,_

 _Don't worry about reading my journal, I may not be terribly happy about it, but it's done. Nothing we can do about it now. Thank you for the compliment on my writing, but I think I'll keep it to myself and my journal for the time being._

 _How's school going? Mine's okay, I just ranked up; so that was nice. They called an assembly and awarded me and three other guys with our new rank insignias. It was kind of cool. Normally they just call us into the commandant's office and they're given to us there, but I guess since there was a few of us who met rank requirements at the same time and some of the other guys aren't ranking as fast as they probably should, so they made a [good] example of us. Hopefully it'll inspire some of the newbies to work harder at it._

 _Oh, I've been trying to get a hold of Luke for a few days now, but haven't been able to reach him. Could you please ask him to call me if he hasn't done so by the time this letter reaches you? I was just given the opportunity to stay for the summer program which, in addition to the extra classes I've been taking, will allow me to graduate a year early. I am really hoping to be able to do it, but Luke has to sign off on it. Don't tell him about it, just ask him to call, would you?_

 _Sorry to cut this short, but I have to run. My drill practice is starting in about 15 minutes and you don't want to know the penalty for arriving late, especially when you're squadron leader… I did mention that, didn't I? I case I haven't, they voted me squadron leader when we got back from break. I'll keep this squadron until I graduate, which is kind of cool. Anyway, I'll write to you later, please have Luke call me._

 _Thanks,_

 _Jess_

 **February 12, 1997**

 _Greetings and Salutations my Dearest (and only) cousin,_

 _I just got your letter the other day so I'm writing back. Did Dad get a hold of you, I asked him to call you. I'm kind of sad you won't be coming back this summer if he says okay, but at the same time, I think this is a great opportunity._

 _I wish I could skip a grade, but no, my mom mentioned to the grandparents that I'm getting bored in school, which I am. Instead of allowing me to skip a grade and just start in high school next year, Grandma and Grandpa offered to pay for me to attend some really prestigious private school in Hartford. Apparently it's where Mom when before she got pregnant with me. Anyway, they're supposed to have a crazy high rate of acceptance to ivy-league schools, especially Yale and Harvard, and you know how much I want to get into Harvard._

 _Yeah I'll miss mom if I go, but Boston isn't all that far away, and I'd be able to come home on the weekends and vacation and stuff. I know I still have like 6 years before that even happens, I'm going to definitely try to make the most of my time here before I go. Especially since once I graduate college, who knows where I'll go and when I'll be able to come back; so might as well make these last few years' worth it. Sorry, there I go yammering on about college when I haven't even gotten into high school yet, have you made a decision about if you are going to go to college once you graduate or go straight into the corps? I know you were leaning towards the Naval Academy when you left, but I know how things can change._

 _Anyway, I have to get going myself. I took a break from filling out my Chilton application, so I should probably get back to it. They have a pretty long waiting list, so even with my grandparent's money, I may have a long wait ahead of me. Not that I mind, the longer I can keep going to school with Lane, is good for both of us. I still can't believe her mom hasn't found her stash of contraband CDs. It's not like it was hard for Lane to find the loose boards in the first place._

 _Ugh, distractions, I really should get going, I'll talk to you later._

 _\- Rory_

 **February 20, 1997**

 _Dearest Crazy Cousin,_

 _You seemed to be in a silly mood when you wrote the opening to your letter, so I figured I'd play along, you goon. I did hear from Luke; we discussed the summer session and he agreed that I could stay for summer session, so you won't see me until Christmas._

 _When will you hear from Chilton about if you've been accepted? I for one think they would be crazy not to. I know you love Stars Hollow Elementary, and would love to go to Stars Hollow High, but I think you are just a bit too good for those schools. You need a challenge, blame your mom for turning you into a bibliophile at a young age. All that reading has made you too smart for us mere mortals._

 _I really hope you are able to get in, especially if that increases your chances of getting into Harvard. Do you know what you want to study once you get there? I guess it doesn't really matter because whatever you put your mind to, you can do it._

 _I know this is turning into a pattern as of late for both of us, but I have to cut this off here. With the extra classes I'm taking, I've got more homework I have to complete before lights out. I look forward to your next letter._

 _\- Jess_

 **March 7, 1997**

 _Hey Jess,_

 _Sorry it took me longer to get back to you, I was motivated by my silliness to apply for a grant from the Ministry of Silly walks and whilst developing mine, it seemed to have gotten sillier so it took me a little longer than usual to get to the mailbox. Alas if it were to get any sillier you would have to start calling me John Cleese, so I had to give it up._

 _Now for something completely different, we shall get to the real letter. It sucks that I won't see you until Christmas, but I'm proud that you know what you want and are going for it. I'll make sure Mom and Dad send you pictures of the baby once he's born. I think Mom's pregnancy is making everyone crazy. Most of the town started a betting pool guessing when the baby will be born. Dad goes all mushy over mom's belly on a near nightly basis, he talks more to the baby than he does to me now. Mom is the weirdest of the bunch, with Easter coming up, she's threatening to paint her belly like an Easter egg and hide in the tall grass near the lake for Dad to find._

 _Sometimes I think I'm the only sane one here, which is even more of a reason I'm bummed that I won't see you until Christmas. I need a normal person to talk to, and Lane isn't always available. It's even worse now, Mrs. Kim found out that Lane was playing baseball at recess with, of all things boys, and grounded her for the remainder of the month!_

 _Anyway, please write back soon, you are the only connection to reality I have left. I sent you a few more books to add to your collection, I figured you already got through most if not all of the books you took with you when you went back to school. I'll write you later._

 _\- Rory_

 **March 15, 1997**

 _Rory,_

 _I'm a little disappointed you gave up so easily, and now I won't be able to see your silly walk. You make me sad, so be it… okay we both need to take a break from all Monty Python related entertainment for a while. I'm starting to think like them, and the last thing I need is to go trotting around the parade grounds with some weird guy behind me banging coconuts together. However, if I do it today, I could at least blame it on the Ides of March… can you blame silliness as well as the murdering of a friend on the Ides of March?_

 _As far as the whole town going insane, I hate to break it to you but it was already crazy. I think you only started to realize when you started talking to a normal person how weird your little town is. Oh, you're welcome by the way. I'm somewhat less than surprised about the betting pool, I would have expected nothing less from the nosy townies. On that note, I enclosed $5, I don't know how many bids that will get but put me down for May 12 at 8am, if I get more than one vote for my money just pick random dates and times and sign our names to them._

 _With Luke, I don't know what to tell you, especially when he is under the influence of your mother. I can't imagine him getting that mushy, but on the other hand, I would pay good money to see it. I think your mom's idea for painting her stomach is awesome, she should totally do it. Luke would probably enjoy it, and Taylor would flip; it's a win-win._

 _You never did answer my question, when will you find out about Chilton? I think it would be a good opportunity for you like the Marine Academy is good for me. Granted you'll be allowed home every night after class instead of being thousands of miles away from home. I guess you could say I'm getting a little Danes sick, 'cause I can't really say I'm home sick for a town that isn't really my home._

 _I'm really sorry to hear about Lane, hopefully Mrs. Kim will let her out early on good behavior. I'll try to write more often, but with spring starting up, drill competition season is starting so a lot of my time will be at the Parade Grounds for practice. Thanks for the books, I was starting to run low. Not that it's really that big of a problem to reread anything, I could use a good visit to my friends Tom and Huck again. I'll talk to you later._

 _\- Jess_

 **March 21, 1997**

 _Jess,_

 _I shall agree to a temporary cessation of Monty Python related movies and television until after Baby Danes is born. Are you amenable to these terms? I can see you smirking, there in Texas, so stop it. Oh and for the record the Ides of March are perfectly acceptable for both silliness and murder, but only if it occurs on a full moon. Alas the full moon is still a few days away from the moment I'm writing this letter, so I hope you didn't go too crazy._

 _I did place the bet, they were a dollar a piece so Miss Patty has us locked in for May 12_ _th_ _at 8am as well as at 12pm and 4pm; May 13_ _th_ _we have bets down for 9 am and 11am. I put both of us down for each, I figure if we win we can split 50/50. I don't know how Dad is going to feel about it, but Mom put in a bet too, it was kind of funny to see her name on the board. I don't think she was paying too close of attention to the dates or time, all her bets made a big "D" in the middle of the board._

 _Dad is still being mushy, talking to the baby every time he sees mom. It's kind of funny and kind of embarrassing at the same time as he'll even do it in the middle of the diner. We'll come in and he'll kiss mom as usual, but then he'll crouch down and kiss her belly too. I'm telling you, this is not the Lucas Danes we all know and love, I think he's been replaced by some kind of pod person. Sadly, we still have two more months of this before Dad, hopefully, goes back to his normal, grumpy, self. Oh well, at least I'll have some entertainment until I hear from Chilton._

 _I should be hearing from them within the next month or so as to whether I got in or not. I'm not sure how I feel about it; I'm kind of hoping that I'll get in, it's one of the best schools in the area, but at the same time I don't know if I want to go to school without Lane. I know that's a really dumb reason to not want to go somewhere, but she's my best friend, and I won't know anyone at Chilton if I get in. Not to mention that all the students that go there are rich, or at least their parents are. Mom and Dad will be struggling to pay the tuition as it is. Grandma and Grandpa have offered to pay since the baby is coming soon, but I don't know if Mom and Dad will take them up on it._

 _By the way, I'm not buying the Danes sick thing, you are homesick and you well know it. I don't care if you lived here less than a year before heading to Texas, you and I both know this is home for you. Just in case Danes sick is a real thing, I think I may be a little Mariano sick. The letters are great and all, but I miss being able to talk to you face to face, it is so much easier to debate books when we don't have a week and a half lag time between letters._

 _Oh well, it's not like I have anything better to do since Lane is on lock-down. I talked to her the other day at school and she said that Mrs. Kim will only let her off early if she agreed to attend the Korean Bible Study for the remainder of the school year. Lane agreed, but later found out it only shortened her sentence by a day! She's grounded until the 29_ _th_ _which means she'll miss family movie night anyway, might as well not have had her grounding shortened at all._

 _I sent Tom and Huck both; they were missing you. I could nearly hear them calling you from my bookshelf. I think they got bored of me either that or they weren't too thrilled to be sitting next to my Jane Austen collection. Either way, I've returned them to your keeping. I know this went on a bit long and I'm hoping I didn't make you late for practice. Do they film your competitions? If so, I would love to get a tape so I can see. I promise not to mock… too much… but I can make no guarantees if Mom gets her hands on it. I will try to hide it from her and only watch if she's at work, I may show Dad, but that will be it._

 _I'll let you go now, Mom is calling me for Danes Family Movie Night. Dad must have just gotten home; I smell burgers. Mom's probably already got the rest of the junk food out, we're watching The Breakfast Club. Mom sure does love her Molly Ringwald, over the past few weeks we've watched For Keeps, Pretty in Pink, and now The Breakfast club. Dad isn't too thrilled, but he usually crashes out within an hour or so of the movie starting. Okay, I'm really saying goodbye now._

 _\- Rory_

 **April 2, 1997**

Rory was enjoying writing to Jess, not to mention excited to hear back from Chilton that she met Kirk every day at the mailbox when he delivered the mail. Usually it was junk mail with a few bills addressed to her parents, but that day there were two letters addressed to her. The first was a thin envelope addressed to Lorelai Leah Gilmore-Danes with the school's insignia in the upper left hand corner and a metered stamp in the upper right. The next was a plain white envelope, her name, Rory Danes, and address were carefully written in Jess' distinctive scrawl. His return address was squeezed into the upper left hand corner, as if she didn't already know it by heart, and a 32₵ stamp in the upper left.

Running inside her room, she sat down at the desk Luke had built for her when she started the 6th grade and tossed the letters down. She looked between the two debating which to open first before deciding to open the letter from Chilton first. She slid her finger along the flap of the envelope before pulling out the single letter headed page.

 _Miss Lorelai Gilmore-Danes_ ,

 _We regret to inform you that we cannot offer you placement at Chilton Preparatory Academy for the 1997-1998 school year. We have reached our capacity for the year but encourage all applicants to reapply for placement next year._

 _Sincerely,  
Hanlin Charleston  
Headmaster_

Rory sighed, slightly disappointed that she wasn't able to get into the exclusive school, but also happy she would have at least one more year with Lane at Stars Hollow Secondary School. Setting the rejection letter aside, she reached for the other envelope, taking comfort in the looping scrawl of her friend's hand. She smiled at the familiar script as she removed the pages from the envelope and began to read.

 _Dear Rory,_

 _I hope you made it through April Fool's Day without too much turmoil, but knowing your mother, she probably pulled some pretty good tricks on Luke and perhaps other folks in town. I cannot tell you how much I wish I could have done something to Taylor, I sincerely hope someone stepped up in my absence to make his life difficult yesterday. There were some jokes played in the barracks yesterday, but for the most part they were the old standard of saran wrapping areas from doorways to toilet seats, shaving cream and feathers, nothing terribly dramatic; although the guys who decided to saran wrap the instructors head earned themselves extra laps in PT and three weeks of KP as punishment. Don't worry, I wasn't one of them, although I will admit to placing rubber spiders all over an arachnophobic rack-mate of mine when I caught him sleeping during down time. One of the other guys heard him screaming like a little girl, he's not going to be able to live that down for a while._

 _Thank you for placing the bets, hopefully something will pan out of us, if not, we only wasted $5. I love that Lorelai even got involved with the bets, although I'm sure Luke would hit the roof if he found out; if that happens, you have to get video evidence of him blowing his top. Surely it would rival Mt. Saint Helens' performance in the '80s._

 _Have you heard back from Chilton yet? I know you're probably going to get sick of me asking soon, but they would be idiots to not allow you in. I know you really want to stay with Lane, but Rory, I know you would be bored there. Even taking AP classes once you reach high school would be below your abilities. You need a more challenging environment, unlike us mere mortals who can make do with the common peoples' education._

 _For the record Danes sick is a thing, so I suppose Mariano sick is as well. I miss being able to talk to you face to face too. I may not like the shire you and yours call "home" but I did find a good place to read and think that's out of the way of the huddled masses. I don't think anyone really goes there any more, remind me to show you one day._

 _I have appreciated my visit with the irrepressible Tom and Huck, and have invited them to stay longer in my company. I do hope that you are okay being parted with them for the time being. I know they're my books but as sure as the sky is blue I would put good money that you've already raided my bookshelves for your own reading pleasure. Even if you haven't (doubtful) you are welcome to, mis libros son sus libros, by the way I saw you slipped The Fountainhead in my care package again, book tease. You know I'm never going to read it again, why even try to sneak it in. If I wanted to read a 40-page rant from a political nut, she would not be even my first choice, let alone my tenth._

 _Well that's all the time I have today, we're putting together a new drill for competition today. We'll be going up against the national champions in a few weeks so we have to have a killer drill so we can blow them out of the water. I've been working on a quad throw, don't worry I'm not going to be tossing body parts, but I've gotten pretty damn close to a four rotation overhead toss with my rifle. I think if I can work in a behind the back toss-transfer (my partner tosses me his rifle from behind his back over his head and mine where I catch it behind my own back) and use the momentum for the quad throw. I don't know if it'll work to do anything but give one or both of us a concussion, but I think it would be impressive._

 _I'll write later; tell Luke and Lorelai that I'll be sending the tape of my last competition soon. The AV crew hasn't finished making copies for all the members of the drill team yet. Oh and I know Lorelai is probably getting close to popping soon, tell her to take it easy, we don't want my cousin getting here too early._

 _See ya,_

 _Jess_

 **April 11, 1997**

 _Dear Jess,_

 _We just got your competition video, you guys are really good. Dad said that one of your tosses was a triple, it looked really difficult, I can't imagine what the quadruple throw will look like, but I hope to see in your next video. I know I'm no expert on this, but I think you guys got robbed. I may be slightly biased, but I think you guys did way better and deserved to win the competition, not place second to those Air Heads. Oh well, you'll get the next ones, I'm confident of that._

 _You can stop asking about Chilton, by the way. I heard from them the same day your letter came, I didn't get in. I admit I was a little bummed that I couldn't go, but it'll be nice to have another year with Lane, not to mention saving mom and dad a year's tuition. That place is not cheap: I'll reapply next year, with any luck I'll be accepted as a transfer._

 _By the way The Fountainhead is a literary masterpiece, so much better than any novel Hemmingway ever penned. Hemmingway novels are good for nothing but kindling, in my opinion; way too boring to be of any other use. You must have hidden cameras in your room or something, how else would you know I've been borrowing some of your books. Don't worry, I haven't turned your precious Hemmingways into fire starters… yet; they're safely on the same shelf you left them at before you left for school._

 _I think you're right about Mom being about to pop. She's HUGE! She keeps making jokes about the turkey being ready when the button pops. Apparently when she was pregnant with me, her belly button popped out a few days before she went into labor. She said her doctor offered to let me be in the birthing suite when the baby is born since I'm older. I told her that I would be perfectly fine waiting in the family area with Grandma and Grandpa. Mom and I are really close, closer than most girls are to their moms, but I really have no interest in being THAT close to her when Baby Danes makes his entrance into the world._

 _Anyway, I have homework to finish up. Lane will be here in an hour since she's off restriction now, she's coming over for a movie night sleepover with Mom and me. As soon as she gets here we'll do the junk food run, Dad's bringing home food from the diner too once he closes up. I'll talk to you later, Jess._

 _\- Rory_

 **May 1, 1997**

 _Rory,_

 _Sorry it's been so long since my last letter, we've been at the parade grounds practicing every spare moment we get. The competition is in a couple weeks, and I'm a little nervous. I still haven't been able to stick the quadruple throw on a consistent basis yet, and I really don't want to have to change it up for a triple. But enough about me._

 _Your mom has some pretty interesting ideas about when the baby is going to come. Not only the belly button thing you mentioned, by the way THAT'S TOO MUCH INFORMATION, but some of the stuff she was ranting about over the phone last week was pretty nuts. I don't know how Luke is handling it, Lorelai is even more manic than usual; you would think having a kid would calm her down. But no, not Lorelai Danes, she's a freaking force to be reckoned with._

 _All that being said, I still want to know when my cousin is here. I know he's due soon, just have someone call me and let me know, okay? Well gotta get back to practice if we're going to kick Elmway Army Prep in the regional competition._

 _Talk to you later,_

 _Jess_

 **May 10, 1997**

Jess knew that he probably wouldn't hear from Rory or his uncle until after the baby arrived, so he was surprised when he received a letter from Stars Hollow. Sitting down on his bunk he opened the letter and smiled at the one sentence letter.

 _Jess,_

 _If I have to stay away from Monty Python, you have to stay away from FRIENDS._

 _\- Rory_

 **May 20, 1997**

Just when Jess was sitting down to respond to his cousin's letter, another round of mail calls swept through the barracks. "Mariano!" Called the Cadet Sargent, tossing a thin envelope to him. Jess was surprised to see his cousin's handwriting, normally she waited until she received a letter from him to write.

He wondered what was so urgent that she couldn't wait for him to write back, his curiosity spurring him on, he quickly broke the seal and pulled out the contents. Inside there was a single paged letter, a Polaroid picture as well as a couple snap shots. Picking up the page, he read the brief note that had been written in Rory's swift but neat hand.

 _Jess,_

 _Exciting news! Baby Danes aka, William Richard Danes arrived yesterday morning! He is so cute, looks just like Dad and Grandpa William, especially when he frowns. I included a couple pictures for you. One of Billy, and mom insisted I include the family picture as well as the one of me holding little Billy._

 _Dad wanted me to give you the details, so I wrote them on the bottom of the Polaroid. We're so happy he's finally here. Dad is thrilled beyond measure and proud of his "big boy," of course Mom said something typically Lorelai that I cannot repeat._

 _Anyway, I thought you should know about the new addition to the family. I'll let you get back to drill practice._

 _\- Rory_


	7. Congratulations, It's a Boy

**May 14, 1997  
Danes Home  
0022 hours**

Lorelai had been growing gradually more uncomfortable as she drew nearer to her due date. She adjusted her belly for the umpteenth time in the last hour when suddenly she felt a sharp pain radiate from her back around to her distended stomach. She had been enduring Braxton Hicks contractions off and on for the past month, but this felt somewhat different. The last time she had felt anything like this was over 12 years ago; the pain nearly took her breath away. "Luke?" She called her husband quietly. She felt him shift, as he murmured something she didn't quite hear before drifting off again. "Luke!" She repeated more forcefully, rolling as best she could towards him and poking him in his back. "Wake up!"

"Huh?" He responded his voice rough from sleep, "What's wrong."

"The baby…" Lorelai started, causing Luke to bolt upright in their bed.

"The baby!?" He sounded panicked, Lorelai did her best not to laugh at him as he jumped out of bed and started running around the room, pulling on clothes as he went in search of her hospital bag.

When he finally turned on the light, Lorelai started laughing loudly at the sight of him. In his rush, he had grabbed one of her old t-shirts and had somehow managed to squeeze his muscled torso into the thin fabric making it stretch too tightly across his chest and abs. He looked puzzled at her reaction, "I'm sorry Hun," She gasped between giggles, "Have you seen yourself? Ooh!" she exclaimed as another contraction wracked her body.

Luke slowly turned and caught sight of himself in Lorelai's full length mirror and flushed before pealing the too tight shirt off and pulling one of his own out of the nearby dresser. His eyes widened when he heard his wife exclamation reminding him that she was in labor, normally a very structured and sure man, he felt afraid and nervous and a whole slew of emotions course through his body.

"Babe, breathe." Lorelai instructed him as he took a deep breath, "Now help me up."

Luke immediately shot to her side and quickly helped her change from her pajamas to one of his old oversized flannels and maternity leggings before helping her to slip her feet into a pair of flats. They slowly made their way down the stairs, Luke carrying their bags and supporting his wife whose labor was steadily progressing. By the time they reached the living room, the pains were coming steadily every 10 minutes. "Let's get you to the hospital." He spoke softly, his hand on her lower back as his thumb traced soothing circles against her tailbone.

"Forgetting something?" Lorelai asked. When Luke looked at her blankly, she smiled at him, "Rory?"

"Shit, of course." Luke cursed himself, "Let me get you into the truck and I'll take her over to Babette's and Morey's." Moments later, he closed his wife's door on the SUV they had just bought, in preparation for the baby, and ran back into the house to wake their daughter. "Hey, Princess." He whispered, gently shaking her.

"G'way" Rory murmured, "It's still dark, too early for school."

"Rory, Baby, your mom's in labor." Luke shook her again, and barely missed getting konked in the head as the 12-year-old shot straight out of bed, her hair sticking up at odd angles as she proceeded to grab the jeans and t-shirt she'd shucked the night before and started to change.

"Aw, jeeze," Luke sighed, pressing his hands over his eyes, "Rory, couldn't you have waited for me to leave the room first?"

"I thought you would be in a hurry for us to get to the hospital." Rory explained, zipping up her sweatshirt before pulling her hair up in a messy pony tail.

"Yeah, but you know you're not going to the hospital." Luke pointed out.

"Like hell I'm not," Rory insisted.

"Language, young lady." Luke scolded her.

"Sorry, Dad," Rory took a deep breath and tried again, "I don't want to go to Morey and Babette's, I want to go the hospital with you."

"Didn't you get squeamish when you watched that birthing video in sex ed?" He reminded her.

Rory shifted uncomfortably, "Yeah, but that wasn't my little brother or sister being born, and besides I'm not going to be in the delivery room, I'll be in the waiting room while the worst of it is happening."

"Are you sure, it's going to be boring waiting for something to happen, wouldn't you rather just go to the Dell's so you can sleep?"

"No," Rory shook her head, "I'm not going to be able to sleep until little Mister Danes gets here. I'll grab some books and work on tomorrow's homework to keep busy."

"Fine, grab your stuff and let's go." Luke gave in, watching a gleeful Rory look at a shelf thoughtfully before selecting three volumes and stuffing them into her book bag along with her school books.

"Ready," She smiled, grabbing her pillow and running out to the SUV, hopping into the back seat next to the already installed infant seat as Luke locked up the house and joined his girls in the vehicle.

"Shall we get this show on the road?" He asked, putting the SUV in reverse.

"Let's shall, and make it snappy before you have to be the one delivering him." Lorelai panted through her contraction.

25 minutes, and a handful of contractions later, the Danes family pulled up to the maternity ward of Hartford General, "Hey!" Luke called out, "A little help here!" Two orderlies came running out, pushing a wheelchair. They quickly assisted Lorelai into the chair in a smooth move perfected from growing accustomed to panicked fathers doing the same thing every day.

"Rory, go with your mom, I'm gonna go park and I'll be right in." Luke instructed the girl who hopped out and started to reach for her things, "Leave it, I'll bring it in once I'm parked."

Rory nodded her understanding and followed the swiftly moving orderlies as they pushed her mother past the nurses' station to an exam room so Lorelai could get examined. "Who are you?" one of the orderlies asked, having finally noticed the young girl following them.

"I'm Rory," The girl responded, unfazed, "You got my mom. Dad told me to stay with her until he was able to park our truck."

"Fine," The man, a moonlighting nursing student, sighed, "Just stay out of the way, alright?"

Rory nodded her understanding and perched herself on the window seat that was clearly meant to double as a convertible bed for expectant family members. She turned her head for a moment as the orderlies assisted Lorelai in getting onto the bed.

"Okay Sweets," Lorelai smiled as the orderlies left, letting her know that one of the residents would be in soon. "I'm settled; you can look up now." Rory cautiously turned her head to see her mom, still dressed in the oversized flannel with a sheet drawn up over her legs. The leggings that Lorelai had worn were now folded and placed on a nearby shelf. "So, are you excited to meet your little brother?" Lorelai asked before breathing through another contraction.

"Yeah," Rory smiled, "But I'm definitely going into the waiting room once Dad gets here. I love you and all, but I don't need to see the baby's arrival in vivid detail."

"I get it," Lorelai smiled back at her daughter. "I wonder where your father is, anyway; how long does it take to park the truck?" Rory just nodded in response.

Luke finally found an empty space in the parking lot and ran towards the gleaming glass doors of the hospital. The double pained portal slid open with a whisper, granting him instant access. Thanking the fact that he and Lorelai had just toured the ward just a week before, he quickly made his way to the nurses' station. "I'm looking for my wife."

"Haven't heard that one before," The heavyset nurse behind the counter drawled, "Name?"

"Danes, Lorelai Danes," Luke replied irritated at the nurse's attitude, "A couple of orderlies just took her from my truck, our 12-year-old daughter was with her."

"She's in suite 15," A pretty blonde woman who looked a few years younger than Lorelai spoke up, waving him over towards her. "Ignore Doris, she's been working her since the dawn of time, I think the miracle of new life has lost its shine for her but she too stubborn to retire."

"I heard that," The older nurse responded, rolling her eyes and letting out an over exaggerated sigh.

"You were meant to." The woman retorted before typing a few commands into the computer. "Looks like you got your paperwork already on file. Come with me, I was just about to check Lorelai's progress."

"Y-you were about to check her?" Luke stammered following the woman dumbly.

"Dr. Sheppard is out of town, I'm the resident on duty." She responded, noting the surprised expression on Luke's face, "Dr. Victoria Clarke, but you can call me Vikki. Before you ask, yes I'm board certified, yes I know what I'm doing, and yes I know I'm not what most would expect in a doctor."

"Hey no skin off my nose, I've known field medics who are younger than you who could likely outperform the most experienced surgeon in this hospital." Luke shrugged. "Sounds like you get that a lot."

"You could say that," Vikki smiled warmly, turning a corner and continuing down the hall towards the private suites. "Field medics, so I'm guessing you're military?"

"Marine." Luke nodded, "Semi-retired."

"Did you go to Navy?" She asked.

"Yep, served for 4 years as an officer." Luke nodded.

"Where were you stationed?" Vikki asked, "My brother to Navy too, graduated about 14 years ago."

"I was here, there, everywhere. I really didn't stop moving until I was recruited by the Marshals about 11 years ago." Luke explained, "What was your brother's name? I might have known him."

"Brian Clarke," Came the response, a proud smile on her face, "He's stationed in…"

"Arlington," Luke finished, "I know, we played ball together, after he graduated he eventually became my first lieutenant. Hell, he was there when I proposed to my wife; told the whole battalion about it."

"Wait," The doctor paused at the suite door, hand on the door knob, before turning towards him, "You can't be _the_ Butch Danes."

"Guilty," Luke shrugged embarrassed.

"I used to watch you pitch," She responded awestruck, "I thought you looked familiar; you were my favorite player, aside from Brian, of course; 1.97 ERA, .355 batting average, and 125 RBIs your senior year. It's still a wonder to me that you were never drafted to the big leagues."

"They tried, but by then they were too late," Luke explained, "I'd already signed my commissioning papers."

"They didn't try to get you when you retired?" She prodded.

"No, I think I fell of their radar." Luke shrugged, "Not that I mind, I like the way my life turned out."

"Hey," Rory, pulled the door open and yelled at them, "There's a woman in labor in here that needs more than your batting average, Dad."

"My fault, sorry," The doctor gave the surrender before following the girl inside, "That your daughter?"

"Yep, that's our Rory," Luke smiled proudly, "She is to school what I was to baseball."

The doctor nodded before stepping up to the side of Lorelai's bed as Luke sat down the bags and took his place on the other side and held his wife's hand. "Good morning, Lorelai, I'm Vikki." She smiled at the woman, "Dr. Sheppard is out of town, so I'm filling in. I'm going to check you really quick, see how far along we are, okay?"

"Okay, Rory, you might want to head out to the waiting room or look away, Sweets." Lorelai called to her daughter. "She's a little squeamish about the whole process."

"Totally normal." Vikki smiled kindly, waiting for Rory to grab her pillow and lie down on the bench facing away from the adults. "Okay, this is going to be a tad uncomfortable." Vikki said, washing her hands and pulling on a pair of purple latex gloves before taking her place at the foot of the bed and raising the sheet, "Scoot down just a hair, there we go," The doctor made quick work of the exam and was soon removing the purple rubber from her hands, "Alright, Lorelai, looks like you are at about 5 centimeters, once you hit 6 or 7 we can bring in the anesthesiologist, if I remember correctly you wanted the epidural."

"Yes," Lorelai breathed through another contraction, "Drugs are good."

"Alrighty, I'll leave you to it." The doctor smiled, "I have other patients to check on, but I'll be back in about 30 minutes to check on your progress. See you in a bit, Rory, Lorelai, Butch." With that the woman breezed out the door.

"Butch?" Lorelai questioned her husband.

"Apparently, Brian Clarke is her brother." Luke shrugged, "I guess I was one of her favorite players when Brian and I played ball in college."

"No kidding," Lorelai chuckled, "She knows you're married, right? Can't let any new players on the field."

"Yes," Luke groaned before leaning to whisper in his wife's ear, "You have nothing to worry about, you know you're the only one I would let near my equipment."

"Dirty," Lorelai grunted through a contraction, "You know, that's kind of how we got into this mess in the first place."

"I seem to remember someone sliding into home about 9 months ago looking to score." Luke teased, brushing his wife's hair back and kissing her softly.

"Hey!" Rory chastised them, "Little ears present, I don't need my little brother or sister knowing about your debauchery and frankly I'd rather not hear it either."

"Sorry Princess," Luke chuckled only to be cut short by his wife squeezing his hand while she breathed through another contraction.

"Yeah, sorry Sweets," Lorelai smiled at her daughter just before her eyes shot down towards the middle of the bed, "Um, Babe, I think my water just broke."

"Good thing we're in the hospital." Luke smiled before turning to his daughter, "Rory, you might want to head out to the waiting room soon, looks like things might be happening faster than we'd expected them to."

"Okay," Rory nodded, getting up and grabbing her bag and pillow before heading out towards the waiting room.

As Rory was making herself comfortable on one of the many love seats in the family waiting room, Vikki returned with Dr. Ross, the anesthesiologist. "Hey guys, I just saw Rory in the waiting room, she's passed out, one of the nurses gave her a blanket; thought you'd want to know."

"Thanks," Lorelai huffed as another contraction struck her, "My water broke not too long after you left and we figured we should send her out before she knows more about her mom than she wants to know."

"I get that," Vikki nodded before gesturing towards the tall man beside her, "This is Dr. Ross, he's going to do your epidural as soon as you are far enough along. Since you said your water broke not too long ago, we should probably check you again, just to be sure."

Vikki made quick work of washing her hands and putting on another pair of purple gloves before giving Lorelai a quick check, "Looks like we have great timing. You're at 7 centimeters already, any further and you would be too far gone. Dr. Ross I'll step aside so you can work your magic."

The male doctor made quick work of preparing the dosage for Lorelai, after having her swing her legs towards Luke and lean on her husband, Dr. Ross injected the medication into her back. Waiting for a moment to make sure the drugs took before collecting his equipment and congratulating the soon-to-be parents and slipping out the door.

By 8:15 Lorelai was ready to push and by 8:25 their new baby was born. "Congratulations guys, it's a boy!" Vikki crowed, lifting the boy so his parents could see before laying him on his mother's chest while she finished up with Lorelai.

Luke could barely contain the tears that streamed down his face as he took in the sight of his precious son. "Hey there, buddy, how you doing?" He whispered to the little boy.

"Okay Dad," Vikki interrupted, "Do you want to cut the umbilical cord?"

"Yeah sure," Luke nodded, taking the scissors from the nurse and cutting through the mucus-covered rope where he was told before handing the instrument back to the professionals.

"Good job, both of you," Vikki smiled, holding her hands out to Lorelai indicating it was time to hand the baby over, "We're gonna get him cleaned up so he can greet his sister without all this goop covering his handsome face."

Lorelai nodded and handed the baby over to the nearest nurse who quickly went to work, cleaning, weighing, measuring, and running various tests on the infant before diapering him and swaddling him in a plain white receiving blanket and pulling a nearly too large, dark blue hat onto the boy's head before handing him back to his mother.

"Awe, how cute," Lorelai cooed, "His hat even has a little 'N' on it like yours does, Hun."

"Yeah, one of my buddies teaches at the Naval Academy; his wife found it in the book store." Luke smiled, "You okay if I go get Rory?"

"We're good," Lorelai nodded, "She won't want to miss meeting him."

"Be right back," Luke quickly dropped a kiss on his wife's lips and little boy's head before running out to the waiting room to wake his sleeping daughter. He was surprised to see Sookie, Jackson, Richard, and Emily all waiting with Rory. "Hey." He smiled at his family.

"I made a few calls when I woke up," Rory shrugged, giving her explanation, "So?"

"The baby is here, 8 pounds 4 ounces, 23 inches long." Luke stated proudly, "Rory would you like to come meet the newest addition?"

"Yes, please," She beamed, hopping up from her seat and following her father as the adults waited for their turn to be called back. "So does he look like you or Mom?"

"You'll see," Luke smiled, dropping his hand over his daughter's shoulders as he led her down the corridors to suite 15. Holding the door open, he ushered the girl inside.

"Hey Mom," Rory smiled, not sure if she could approach the bed.

"Hey Rory," Lorelai beamed, "Come meet your little brother."

Rory slowly made her way towards the side of her mother's bed, "What's his name?" She whispered looking at the bundle in her mother's arms.

"Rory, I'd like you to meet William Richard Danes." Lorelai announced proudly.

"You named him after Grandpa Will?"

"Yes, he's named for both his grandfather's actually," Lorelai pointed out.

"Grandpa Will would be so proud." Rory smiled.

"You can say that again." Luke nodded, beaming at his girls and young son. "Do you want to hold him?"

When Rory nodded, he indicated for her to take a seat on the nearby recliner before lifting the swaddled infant from his mother's arms and placing him gently in his sister's waiting hands. "Hey there, little man," Rory cooed, gazing lovingly at her little brother, "You are such a lucky guy. You get Dad and Mom both from the get-go, I had to wait until I was 5 to meet Dad. It's too bad you didn't get a chance to meet Grandpa Will, you would have loved him; he was a lot like Daddy. A big old grizzly bear of a man to most, but in reality he was just a big ol' teddy bear. He used to spend hours with me reading story after story; he even did all the voices of the bears in Goldilocks. He's in heaven now, he passed away a few months before Mom met Dad. I feel bad you'll never meet him, but don't worry, Mommy, Daddy, and I will tell you everything you need to know about him. You should learn all you can since you have his name now. You be a good boy, Billy, I'm gonna go get Grandma and Grandpa, or Emily and Richard, you're named for Richard too by the way."

Nodding to her father, Rory handed the bundle over to him before giving her mom and dad a hug and slipping out of the room to summon the next group of visitors. By the time lunch rolled around, the baby had been passed around more than a Thanksgiving turkey. He had met his living grandparents, been told many times about his other grandparents, and had met nearly half of Stars Hollow taking short breaks to snuggle with his mom and nurse for a few minutes in between visits.

Luke was starting to get frustrated at the near constant stream of people flowing in and out of the room. Lorelai could tell he wasn't going to last long with all the attention coming their way and made the decision to have the nurses restrict visitors to family, namely Rory, Emily, and Richard, and the boy's godparents Sookie and Jackson. Eventually she was able to convince Luke to sack out on the convertible window seat. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out and Lorelai wasn't too far behind. When she awoke a couple hours later she found Luke, with the bill of his hat pulled low over his eyes Rory, who must have been dropped off by her grandparents at some point, snuggled into his side, and baby William laid on his chest.

The beautiful simplicity of the picture her family created brought her to tears. "Lovely, isn't it?" Her mother's voice came from her side; she must have snuck in while Lorelai had taken in the image of Luke being the very likeness of Daddy-hood. "I got a few pictures of it a little while ago."

"Thanks," She whispered, "He was so good with Rory from the moment he met her, and so excited when he found out about little William."

"He took to fatherhood quite naturally," Emily agreed, "I have to admit having my reservations when we first met him, but you've done well for yourself. He would do anything for you and your children, he is so much better than Christopher ever was for you, I'm sorry I pushed so hard for that; I was so blind."

"It's okay, Mom." Lorelai comforted the older woman, "I'm just glad you eventually saw the light when it comes to Luke. He's a great dad, but I'll tell you, he's already getting anxious over Rory getting closer to 15."

"Your father was the same way," Emily nodded, "Of course, it turns out that it wasn't 15 we had to watch out for but 16." She held up a hand before Lorelai had a chance to protest, "But I wouldn't change anything that's happened for the world. We may not have seen eye to eye for a while, I'm glad we have Rory, and as terrible as what Christopher did was, Rory wound up getting a better father out of the deal. You are a very lucky woman, and I'm proud of you and your family."

"Thanks, Mom," Lorelai smiled looking towards her little family crashed out on the too-small pull out, "I'm pretty proud of them too."


	8. Jess Graduates

**May 22, 1997  
McAllen Airport  
1000 hours**

The first thing Luke registered as he exited the small regional jet that had taken him from Dallas Fort Worth to McAllen Field was the humidity. "It's not even this hot in Albuquerque." He murmured to himself.

"Yeah well, Albuquerque has more of a dry heat than southeast Texas." The man behind him remarked. He had been Luke's seatmate for the short flight and was also traveling to the Marine Military Academy to see his son graduate. "Just be glad you aren't staying too long."

"Yeah, no kidding, Joe." Luke shrugged, "I can't believe I'm here. I knew this day would eventually come, but I didn't expect it so soon."

"No kidding," Joe shook his head, "Seemed like just last week I was holding my kid in the hospital."

"I know the feeling," Luke admitted, "Our son's first birthday was 8 days ago, but I still remember my wife pelting the nurses with ice chips like it was yesterday."

"Ice chips? Really?" Joe saw Luke nod as they approached the baggage claim before continuing his prying. "Jess isn't your son?"

"No, he's my sister's kid." Luke explained, "His mom was arrested a couple years back and he came to live with me and my wife. After a few months, he told us he wanted to go to the Marine Military Academy; follow in the footsteps of me and his grandfather. Traditionally the men in our family are leathernecks."

"Did you go to MMA?" Joe grunted as he pulled his bag off the carousel.

"No, I did the normal high school thing, but I did attend Navy like Jess is going to next year." Luke shrugged, his eyes still searching for his duffel. "Jess wasn't even supposed to graduate this year."

"He wasn't?"

"Nope, he's graduating a year early." Luke explained, "He thought it would be better to stay for summer session the last two years instead of having me fly him back. He said he didn't want me to waste the money."

"Sounds like a good kid." Joe nodded before pointing out an olive green sack rounding the bend of the carousel. "That yours?"

"Yep," Luke nodded before collecting his bag, "You still up for sharing a cab out there?"

"Sounds good to me." Joe agreed. The school had offered lodging for parents who were coming from out of town, as it so happened, Joe and Luke had both taken the school up on their offer of staying in some of the unused dorms. "Ready to go?"

"Let's go." Luke smiled, excited to see his nephew again.

 **May 22  
Marine Military Academy – Harlingen, TX  
1300 hours**

Luke looked on proudly as he watched his nephew and the rest of the Rifle Drill Team he led executed yet another precise maneuver. He had known that Jess would do well here, but he hadn't anticipated how well the young man would do. On top of graduating a year early, the teen had a 4.1 GPA earning him not only a position in the honor society but on the commandants list. Jess had also achieved the rank of Cadet Major in his two, short years, was the head of the Drill Team, and had not only applied but been accepted with a full ride scholarship to the American Naval Academy.

Soon after the drill teams had finished and the color guard had been presented, the graduating class fell into formation on the parade grounds. Luke couldn't contain the smile that broke out on his face as he watched his nephew being announced along with a listing of his merits. Jess marched across the stage to the commandant, give a sharp salute, and received his diploma. The young man then turned toward the audience, making eye contact with his uncle and saluted again, Luke took a moment to take in his nephew's dress uniform replete with medals on his chest and honors cords attached to the shoulder by the epaulet, before standing and returning the salute.

A short time later the guests were allowed to breach the parade grounds to congratulate their graduates. Luke enthused over the embarrassed teen's accomplishments for a few moments before pulling him in for a tight hug. "Your aunt and I are so proud of you." Luke smiled down at him, "And your cousins can't wait to see you."

"I know," Jess nodded, "Rory and I have been writing back and forth since I first arrived here. She's really excited to see me since she said she hasn't seen me in 'forever.'"

"She does have her mother's flare for the dramatic." Luke chuckled. "Hey before we head back, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's that?" Jess asked as the men headed toward the mess hall for the graduation dinner.

"Well, you haven't been home in a while; with the addition of Billy, you don't really have a bedroom at the house anymore." Luke explained sheepishly, "We didn't want to have to subject Rory to him waking up in the middle of the night."

"I get it," Jess nodded his understanding, "Where will I be bunking then? I know you guys don't have a guest room."

"I was thinking, if you're okay with it, that you could stay in the diner's apartment." Luke tried to gage the young man's reaction out of the side of his eye, "To be more accurate, we'd like to give you the apartment. I know that the academy is a long way away, but it's still close enough for you to visit a bit more often and we were thinking that you're old enough to have your own place."

"That's awesome, Luke!" The teen smirked, "So, it'll be all mine? You'll have no access to it, won't come barging in at random times if I have a girl up there or something?"

"It'll be all yours." Luke nodded, "However we will still use it as guest space when you aren't home. I already moved the safe to the storage room, and the guns to our new gun safe back home. Lorelai and I both have keys just in case, but we wouldn't come in unless invited to do so or if there were an emergency if you are home."

"Huh." The young man smiled as they took their seats at one of the long dining tables in the mess hall.

The rest of the night passed much the same, small talk over high school experiences of both the men and Luke catching Jess up on what was going on at home. Jess looked duly impressed at the news that Rory had finally been accepted to the super exclusive Chilton Preparatory Academy in Hartford for her secondary education. Apparently Lorelai had already gotten Rory's uniforms and was busily at work hemming the skirt up.

Jess of course knew all this, as Rory had written him a week ago about that very topic, excited to be going to such a challenging school for her last year of junior high and all of high school but also complaining about the admittedly dorky uniform. Her only solace was that every last one of her classmates would have an equally dorky uniform to wear for the duration of their time. Jess was pretty sure the uniform wasn't nearly as bad at Rory made it out to be, especially with Lorelai's improvements.

As soon as the last note of taps had been played over the hi-fi, the men went their separate ways to finish packing and get some sleep before their flight out the next morning.

 **May 23, 1998  
Hartford – Bradley Air Field  
1500 hours**

Lorelai had been sitting in the gate area for the past 20 minutes waiting for her husband's plane to land. Normally she would have been occupied with a copy of US Weekly or People Magazine, or even talking with one of the folks sitting near her. Instead she was held in rapture at the view of her children sitting across from her where the light streaming from the window allowed the book they were both bent over to be viewed better. Her now 13-year-old daughter had her 1-year-old brother sitting in her lap with a colorful but love-worn book balanced over the younger child's legs.

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Rory's young voice read softly, "'So catch' calls the Once-ler; he lets something fall 'It's a truffula seed. It's the last one of all…'"

Lorelai remembered reading the book to Rory when she was the same age. Almost immediately, she was transported back to the potting shed where she used to sit on the edge of her bed reading the exact same book to the little girl. The Lorax was one of her favorite books growing up and she was glad that her children seemed to enjoy it too.

"'…Grow a forest, protect it from axes that hack. Then the Lorax and all his friends may come back.'" Rory finished, closing the book. "The end, did you like that story, Billy-Willy?"

Billy just beamed up at his older sister and nodded before looking over her shoulder and pointed to the plane that was taxiing into the gate. "Dada!" He squealed.

Rory followed his gaze, "That's right little man Daddy is on that plane with Jess."

"Jesh?" the boy asked.

"He's your cousin." Rory explained, "I guess he's kinda mine too…" she trailed off as the bells from the jet way rang out as it inched closer to the cabin door.

A few moments later the gate agent came back through the gate and propped the door open as those waiting for loved ones to de-plane gathered on either side of the portal. The Dane's family followed suit, Lorelai finding them a spot toward the edge of the huddled masses, Rory stood beside her, little Billy balanced on her hip. The passengers slowly started to trickle up the jet way and into the terminal some alone, others in groups of two or three, most greeted by hugs and kisses by those waiting to receive them. The large mass of bodies started to thin out as more passengers found their people and headed toward the baggage claim.

Rory's arm was starting to get a little sore from the weight of her little brother the moment she started to shift the boy to her other side she heard her mother's joyful cry as the elder woman ran straight into the arms of her husband. The force of Lorelai's body slamming into Luke's causing him to nearly topple back into the dark haired young man behind him. "Hey!" Luke exclaimed, sweeping his wife out of the way of the still-arriving passengers before planting a soft kiss on her lips. "I missed you."

"Huh," Came the deep voice of their nephew, "You'd think grown people such as yourselves would have a room you could do that in so as to not subject the next generation to your disgusting displays."

"I thought you were past the 'girls had cooties' phase, Jess." Lorelai teased, smiling at the young man over her husband's shoulder.

"Ignore them." Rory smiled, walking up with Billy. "There's nothing you can say or do to stop them. Although they are rarely this affectionate in public."

Luke and Lorelai at least had the decency to blush at Rory's statement before Luke swung his arm over his wife's shoulder and held out the other towards his children. "I missed you too."

"Dada!" Billy cried out, holding his arms up to his father who gladly accepted the boy from his sister's arms.

"Yes I am," Luke smiled before turning towards Jess, "Billy, I'd like you to meet your cousin, Jess. He's been away for a while and is visiting us before he goes to school again."

"Hey little man," Jess grinned at the boy who was a near carbon copy of his father, "I've only ever seen you in pictures."

The boy gave Jess a small smile before burying his face in his father's shoulder, causing the older man to chuckle. "He's a little shy." Luke explained.

"So he takes after the Danes side of the family, I take it." Jess smirked.

"Only insomuch as he's shy and refuses to eat junk food." Rory shrugged, "But he eats like Mom and me."

"How would you know?" Luke challenged, "He's not old enough for junk food any way."

"Well, he refused to eat more than a few bites of his birthday cake, despite smashing it to pieces." Rory answered, "Not to mention I've tried to give him marshmallows before and he turns up his nose at them."

"Good boy." Luke jokingly praised his son. "Although, we may have to fix your marshmallow aversion before I take you camping."

"Ah, yes," Jess joined in as they approached the baggage claim, "The only Luke-approved junk foods: marshmallows and all-beef hot dogs, but only if they are cooked over an open flame."

"You want to eat tonight, smart aleck?" Luke groused only to be answered by the young man raising his hands in surrender and shaking his head; an innocent look on his face. Luke just smirked at him and pointed toward a bag that was soon to disappear "Isn't that your bag?"

Jess just cursed quietly under his breath and sprinted to grab the bag before it was too late. Luke looked pretty smug by the Jess returned to give him a dirty look, "Can we go now?" He asked, "or is there some reason you still need to stand there looking like a pompous jerk?"

"It's good to have you back, kid." Luke laughed, removing his arm from his wife's and slinging it over his nephew's trim frame. "Let's get you home."

The Danes men strolled off casually as the Danes Dames followed; smiling at the men's antics. It was good to have Jess home again, but also bitter sweet knowing that in just a little over a few months' time, Jess would be leaving them again. Lorelai knew how much her husband and daughter missed the boy, or man, she self-corrected, taking in the sight of the dark haired figure before her. She was also pleasantly surprised to find as she listened to the men talking amicably as they loaded up the car and set off to find that the surly, lost, boy who had first arrived some three years before was nowhere to be found, replaced by the polite, sturdy young man before her.

 **May 23, 1998  
Jess' Apartment  
1700 hours**

"So, here we are, home sweet home." Luke smiled, unlocking the door to the apartment and swinging it open to allow his nephew to enter. "Haven't changed anything up here other than moving he safe and replacing some light bulbs. I'm at the house now so you can redecorate… or leave it as is; up to you. Oh I put your old bed in storage until Billy is big enough for it, figured you'd probably prefer having the double when you're home since when you're at school all you've got are the narrow racks."

"Thanks Uncle Luke," The teen smiled at him in a rare show of gratitude. "I'm sure I'll be just fine."

Luke nodded to the boy before continuing, "There's some food in the fridge and in the pantry, just your basics. You know, milk, juice, meat, cheese, jelly, there's some iced tea and soda in there too. You got dishes over the sink there, and some cereal and bread in the cabinet there." He pointed to the areas in question. "Of course you don't have to eat every meal here, you are always welcome to join us at the house. At the very least we'd like you to join us for dinner any night you're not at school or working. I just figured you'd like some breakfast and lunch stuff on hand."

"Got it." Jess smirked. His uncle had gone a little overboard in preparing the apartment for his arrival.

"The closet has been cleared out, as has the dresser. There's new towels in the bathroom and in the linen closet; new sheets too, Lorelai's idea. The girls came by earlier to clean the place up a bit, Lorelai said that the bed has fresh sheets" Luke shifted from foot to foot as he finished his impromptu tour.

"I'll be sure to thank her for that." Jess nodded, wondering if Luke was every going to leave. "Well, I think I'll start getting settled in now, maybe take a shower before heading over for dinner."

"Right." Luke chuckled to himself, "I should probably be on my way, got to start dinner. Be there in about an hour okay?"

"Yep." Jess smirked before looking at the older man expectantly.

"Well, I'd better… yeah." Luke turned toward the door before pausing and setting a keyring with two keys on the small ledge of the divider that separated the living and bedroom areas of the small loft. "Keys to the apartment and the house. It's good to have you home, Jess."

"It's good to be home." He responded with a nod before Luke went on his way, quietly closing the door behind him.

Jess took a good look around the apartment taking in the small changes that had taken place since he'd last been there. The couch was different, Rory had mentioned that the couch that had been in the loft had belonged to his grandparents and when Lorelai and Luke refurnished the house, they'd thrown the old couch out and brought the light brown couch that had once been Lorelai's up to the apartment which they'd planned to use as a guest space before deciding to just give the apartment to Jess. The curtains over the kitchen sink were different too. What used to be is grandmother's old yellow floral curtains has been replaced by light blue. The rug under the coffee table was the same blue as the curtains and the floors had been sanded and resealed.

"Haven't changed anything, my ass." Jess chuckled to himself, walking around the divider into the sleeping area of the studio apartment. The dark navy blue curtains that flanked the windows matched he bed spread, pulling back the cover he found obviously custom-made sheets, shaking his head he knew exactly where the crimson sheets with the globe, anchor, and eagle Marine insignia printed on it had come from. "Very funny, Auntie Lorelai, very funny." He rolled his eyes.

Luckily between not having much when he'd first come to the hollow and leaving for Texas after only a few short months, Jess had not accumulated much in the way of stuff over the past few years. He was able to make quick work of unpacking. Opening the drawers, he found another surprise, the dresser already held some clothes, all in his size. Clearly Rory and Lorelai had taken a shopping trip at some point. The bottom held a few sets of pajama bottoms, the next drawer up held some thermal and long sleeved shirts, and the one above that held a mix of plain t-shirts in a variety of colors as well as a small selection of vintage band shirts. Reaching for the top drawers, he almost hesitated before opening them, concerned at what he might find. He breathed a sigh of relief he hadn't noticed he was holding as he slid out the empty drawer, well empty aside from a note in Lorelai's looping script.

 _Jess,_

 _Figured the last thing you would want is your dear old auntie picking out your underwear, how embarrassing would that be? Not to mention I don't know if you're a briefs or boxers man, so I wouldn't have been able to get anything for you any way. There's a gift card to Target in the junk drawer in the kitchen for whenever you need to get some. I figured you could get your own socks when you went. Let us know if you need anything else._

 _\- Lorelai_

 _P.S. You can borrow the jeep or the truck if you don't want to take the bus to Hartford when you go._

Jess just smirked at the note and put it back in the drawer. Looking up at the clock he noticed he had about a half an hour before he had to be to the CrapShack for dinner. After snagging the gift card from the junk drawer and sliding it into his wallet, he quickly made his way around the apartment snagging a change of clothes and his toiletries kit from his gunnysack before ducking into the bathroom for a quick shower to rinse the day of traveling off.

Fifteen minutes later, he was teasing his hair into a deliberately messy look with the assistance of some product. He kept his hair within regulation at school, but in the past few months had let it grow out a bit. Normally the pomade was used to slick his hair down in a side part, but since he didn't have to have his hair within regulatory standards until July, he figured he'd revert back to the just-rolled-out-of-bed look he'd perfected before first coming to the small town. He'd never gotten any complaints about it, except from Taylor, but just like his uncle, Jess tended to take perverse joy in messing with the finicky grocer.

Slipping the thick leather strap of his watch around his wrist and grabbing his keys, he took one last look in the mirror to make sure not a hair was out of its strategically haphazard place. Finding that everything seemed to be in order, he grabbed his old leather jacket, which he'd found in the closet, and headed out the door for the quick walk to the home his aunt and uncle shared with their children. While he always had considered himself a big city boy, he was glad to be back in the small town he thought of now as 'home.'


	9. Independence Day

**July 4, 1998  
Luke's Diner  
0515 hours**

Luke had been true to his word, Jess had been given the apartment free and clear. He found that he rather liked living alone after having shared a dorm room with seven other guys for the past two years and knew that it would be more of the same in the foreseeable future as he went onto the Naval Academy and then on to the corps. The stability the apartment had for him was a nice change as well, he had been focusing so hard the last time he lived there on proving to Luke that he was worth the effort, he'd never taken time to appreciate the stability this town and his new family provided him.

The sound of his alarm pulled him out of his thoughts. He had made a deal with Luke shortly after they'd arrived back in the Hollow that every time he took up residency in the apartment, short of weekend leave, he would work in the diner. It was the only way Jess would accept his uncle and aunt's generosity, otherwise he would have felt like he was taking advantage of them. Throwing back the covers and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he quickly went through his morning routine, thankful for the short time he'd spent at MMA. Within 5 minutes he had pulled on his jeans and t-shirt before ducking into the bathroom to wash the last of the sleep from his eyes. Slipping his boots on his feet, he quickly made his way down the stairs to meet the bread delivery.

"Mornin' Jess," Keith smiled amicably as he stacked the extra flats of hamburger and hot dog buns onto his hand cart. "Your uncle doing the grilling for the block party again this year?"

"Yep," Jess nodded, signing the delivery slip, "Greg is stopping by later with a couple extra cows, pigs, and chickens."

"I can't wait," Keith quickly rolled the cart into the storage room and dropped the flats, "Your uncle's cooking is just about my favorite part about bringing the wife and kids down here every year. I hear you're doing something too."

"Yeah, Taylor roped me into the color guard." Jess shrugged, handing the clipboard in his hand to the older deliveryman. "It'll be me and the three JrROTC kids from Stars Hollow High. It'll probably look a little funny as two of the boys are Air Force and the other is Army."

"At least you'll have a variety of branches represented. In all honesty, I doubt anyone will care." Keith shrugged, loading the cart back into his box truck, "No one will be looking at your uniforms; they'll be too distracted by the other stuff going on in the gazebo behind you. I hear your cousin is leading the pledge."

"Yep, and Lorelai is singing the National Anthem along with Miss Patty, Babette, and Sookie." Jess shook his head, "It's going to be quite the family affair. Even the Gilmores are planning to stop by for a little bit if only to watch Billy while Rory and Lorelai are otherwise occupied since Luke will probably still be manning the grills with Jackson."

"Hey, you'll find that the memories you treasure most will be with those people." Keith smiled warmly at the young man before patting his shoulder, "You're very lucky to have a family like them."

"Second time's a charm." Jess joked.

"Nah, it was always the right family," Keith shrugged, "Although the location left something to be desired. At least your mom finally did something right having them send you here."

"Can't argue that." Jess agreed, "I'll see you later tonight."

Keith gave him a short wave before putting his truck in gear and trundling down the road toward Woodbridge. Jess took a deep breath, thinking over what the deliveryman had just said and headed inside to finish his opening duties. True to form, Kirk was standing outside the diner, watching him as he went around the diner, putting chairs down, wiping off tables, checking levels of salt, pepper, and ketchup before finally crossing to the door and flipping the sign to indicate the diner was now open. As soon as the lock was disengaged, Kirk took no time entering.

"Where's your uncle?" The awkward man demanded as he did every morning.

"At home, with his family like he should be." Jess reminded him, "Just like every morning since I returned and have told you the same thing."

"But it's 0600 hours, we always meet at 0600 hours." Came the whining response.

"Keep your pants on, I'm sure he'll be here soon." Jess huffed in a very Luke-like fashion, "Do you want anything while you're waiting or are you just going to take up one of the stools all morning."

"I'll have the omelet special, no meat, no vegetables," Kirk replied straight-faced, "And decaf, mother said that caffeine was bad for me."

"So a cheese omelet with decaf coffee?" Jess repeated back.

"No, I want the special, just no meat and no vegetables."

"Kirk, just like I've informed you since the day I got here, the special is a ham, cheese, and vegetable omelet." Jess was getting exasperated, "If you lose the meat and the vegetables, it's just a cheese omelet. So why don't you just order the cheese omelet so we can get on with our day."

"Fine, I'll have the omelet special, no meat or vegetables," Kirk repeated.

"Why do I even bother talking?" Jess groaned to himself, throwing his hands in the air for good measure before heading back to start the frustrating man's order.

"A question I ask myself every day," Came a deep voice from behind him, Jess just looked back at the diner owner through slit eyes.

"When did you get here?"

"Came in about half way through your daily argument with Kirk." Luke shrugged.

"I thought you were retiring," Jess challenged his uncle as he started cracking eggs into a bowl.

"I am," Luke assured him, "At the end of the summer. They're sending my replacement in August, I'll tell Kirk then. No need upsetting his simple mind just yet. How he even got into the Marshalls is a complete mystery to me."

"Idiot savant?" Jess suggested.

"Idiot being the operative word there." Luke joked, "I'll go get his decaf, the sooner we feed him and I talk to him, the sooner he will leave."

"You hope."

"Yeah," Luke shrugged, "Lorelai and the kids are going to be coming in around 9 any way; Kirk is scared of Lorelai, so if he's still here by then, I doubt he'll stick around."

"There's a plan." Jess smirked knowingly.

"Yep, there's a plan," Luke smiled, ducking back into the dining area to have his daily powwow with the less-than-adept younger marshal.

 **Luke's Diner  
0930 hours**

Jess and Luke had switched positions after Kirk had left some two hours before, leaving Jess working the dining room while Luke manned the grill. At nine on the dot, no doubt due to Rory, the rest of the Danes family made their appearance, shortly followed by Caesar who soon took over the grill while Luke enjoyed breakfast with his family before heading into the back to organize stock.

Lorelai and Rory had been chatting for the past several minutes over their excitement for the day's activities, which were starting to get set up in the town square. Jess just smiled at his aunt and cousin's animated description of past years' events as he wiped down the recently vacated tables before heading back to the counter to make another round of coffee refills. Before he could even turn, he could feel someone behind him. Turning, he was met by a pair of hypnotizing cerulean eyes.

"Please sir, may I have some more?" Rory joked in an awful cockney accent while holding up her empty coffee mug.

"This stuff'll kill ya." Jess gruffly mimicked his uncle before refilling the girl's cup as he was rewarded by a blinding smile. He just rolled his eyes thinking about how much trouble some poor guy was going to be in one of these days.

"Oh, Mini Luke," She teased, "You do care."

"Nah, I just don't want to hear Uncle Luke griping about how I killed his adopted step-daughter." Jess quipped, not sure why he felt the need to specify the exact relation between his uncle and the girl at the counter.

"You might want to get Mom a refill before you have to worry about her keeling over as well." Rory nodded towards Lorelai whose empty cup was sitting near her elbow as she watched her son eat his pancakes and chopped bananas off the high chair tray.

"I'll get right on it." Jess smiled as he weaved around the counter and through tables before silently refilling the aforementioned cup and returned the carafe to the warming plate.

"Oh, you have ninja coffee skills, Mom didn't even notice yet that she has coffee." Rory teased, taking a sip from her nearly empty cup.

"Wax on, wax off, young grasshopper." Jess quoted watching the girl finish off the last dregs of the life-giving elixir. "I hope you're not expecting another refill. I'm not here to support your habit."

"Nope, I have to be getting over to Lane's she needs a little extra help this year organizing the 'You're all going to Hell' table for Mrs. Kim this year."

"Have fun,"

"It's not really a fun thing," Rory shrugged, "But the sooner it's done, the sooner Lane and I can sneak off to where the real stuff is happening."

"Sounds like you have a plan." Jess nodded.

"Just a vague one, will I be seeing you later at the festival?"

"Yeah, we're closing up in about an hour so Luke can get over to the grilling station in time for lunch. I have to change around four for the color guard thing, but you already knew about that."

"How did Taylor manage to get every last one of us this year?"

"Well, he didn't get Billy." Jess pointed out, "So he didn't exactly get all of us, but I know what you mean. I think he played the June 3rd card."

"Rude!" Rory exclaimed, "That's low, even for him. Besides it's not Dad's fault that he got attacked in the first place. Dad and Kirk even saved his sorry butt!"

"Calm down, it is what it is." Jess tried to calm the girl, "Besides, Luke only has to deal with his insanity for another month any way. He's retiring from the marshals at the end of the summer, as soon as his replacement arrives and is briefed. Supposedly whoever it is will be undercover as a teacher at the elementary school."

"It's so convenient that nearly everything is across the street from Doose's market." Rory quipped before looking at her watch, "Oops gotta go, bye Jess."

"Bye Rory." Jess responded as the girl quickly ducked behind the curtain to say goodbye to her father before rushing out and saying a quick goodbye to her mother and brother. She waved one last time at him and then ducked out the door, running across the park towards the old Victorian home that housed an antique shop on its first floor.

 **Town Square  
1900 hours**

"You guys set?" Jess asked after organizing the small color guard near the steps of the town church. The boys who ranged in age from 15-17 nodded their heads. After ensuring the student soldier on the end had his rifle and the two student airmen had their flags firmly secured in their holsters, Jess called them to attention and lead them to their position. As the four young men made their way across the square, Jess was surprised to find that the normally bustling town had stilled to a reverent silence. A moment later, he called out "Company halt. Left Face. Present arms." As one the group stopped in place, executed a military turn in unison and then presented. The student airmen in the middle bore the American and Connecticut Flags and were flanked by a student soldier who held out his rifle proudly on one end while Jess, his grandfather's sabre in his hand held his post on the opposite side of the line.

The crowd stood stock-still for a few moments before Rory's soft voice came over the speakers set up around the venue. "Please join me in the Pledge." One by one the few residents who were still sitting stood, those wearing hats removed them as everyone either placed their hands or hats over their hearts or saluted. Rory waited a few moments more, smiling towards her grandparents who stood sentinel near the picnic area their family had claimed, Billy was in their grandfather's arms, small hand resting over his heart where Richard had placed it moments before. Calmly she started to speak as she was quickly joined by the denizens of their small town in reciting the words they'd know since their first day of grade school.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands; one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

"Thank you, Rory." Taylor swiftly relieved the girl of the microphone she'd been previously holding, "And now the Stars Hollow Women's Quartet with our National Anthem."

The four women quickly took their place as Miss Patty produced a pitch pipe that had been previously hidden in the folds of her blouse. She sounded the first note and the women began to sing the anthem in perfect harmony. For many it was the first time anyone had heard Lorelai or Sookie sing outside of their families. "…and the home of the brave!" They finished amid applause and cheering.

As soon as they were down the steps, Jess called his guard back to attention and gave the orders to march their retreat from the square. As soon as the boys reached the church, they dove into the vestibule to quickly change back into the jeans and t-shirts they'd brought with them. When they arrived back in the square, Taylor was still making his speech thanking the residents who had volunteered and welcoming the community and their guests to the festival. "Lastly, I would like to give a public thanks to the Danes, and Bellville Families for stepping up at the last minute to not only feed us, but participate in saluting our country."

A cheer rose from the crowd as the respective members blushed from the attention. Soon the moment passed and Jess and Rory made their way to the food tent to help serve sides and drinks while Jackson and Luke made sure that everyone was well stocked with hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, and grilled chicken. The rest of the night passed by with acts and performances appearing at occasional intervals in the gazebo. The Gilmores had surprised them all by deciding to stay until the fireworks display was completed.

"I haven't been to an event such as this since I was in short pants." Richard had remarked to his wife earlier trying to convince her to stay.

"I don't know what you are talking about," The woman had rolled her eyes, "We used to take Lorelai to the club when she was a girl to watch the fireworks display there."

"True, but those events were always so stiff, Emily." Richard returned, "I rather like the sense of small town Americana here. It makes for a nice change of pace; don't you think?"

"Dad's right." Lorelai agreed, "Our Fourth of July Fireworks Festival kicks the club's firework display's butt."

"Lorelai, really…" Emily huffed but let the topic die in a silent acquiescence to her husband.

As soon as the sun made its final descent behind the trees and the night began to grow dim, the families around them started to settle on their blankets, and the Danes clan was the same. Richard and Emily stayed in the camping chairs that Luke had brought out for them while the rest of the family took their places on the large blanket they had used to mark their place.

Luke was reclined against the duffel bag that held spare items for Billy as well as changes of clothes for all of them in case they were needed. Lorelai was curled up against his side with their son nestled between them much as Rory had been all those years ago when she was in the hospital. Luke couldn't help but smile at the memory, which despite the circumstance, was always remembered fondly as their first real family moment. Jess laid on his back a few feet away his hands pillowing his head while Rory lay perpendicular to the young man, using his stomach as her pillow.

Normally Luke would have been worried about his now teenaged daughter getting close to anyone of the opposite gender, but he felt peace knowing that his nephew and she had formed such a good bond over the past few years. His tight knit family was all he needed to be happy in this world, although it was bittersweet knowing that this was marking the end of an era. The would be the last holiday they would spend for many years when they wouldn't have to compete with military and school schedules just to find time to be together. At least he knew that they would be in constant contact due in no small part to Rory and Jess agreeing to continue writing letters and emails to one another, much as they had while Jess had been in Texas.

Luke was shaken from his thoughts as the first bright flash of color burst across the sky with a loud _crack_. Patriotic music pumped through the sound system as the display continued on for another 20 minutes amid the oohs and awws of the crowd, even Billy was enthralled by the light display. Before they knew it, the display was over and they were soon packing up their things. After hugs and kisses between the Danes clan and the Gilmores, the older couple made their way to Richard's sports car. Luke thanked Jess for helping out with the food earlier and gave him a manly hug before guiding his wife, who held their sleeping son in her arms, and daughter towards home. Jess smiled after them before hefting the camping chairs over his shoulder and making his way back to the apartment for one of the last nights he would spend there before leaving for college the next week.


	10. Plebe Summer

**July 13, 1998  
United States Naval Academy  
0430 hours**

The Danes/Mariano family had arrived at the on-base hotel late evening and were quickly checked into the two-bedroom suite that Luke had reserved for them. Lorelai had quipped about how their family was better than all the others who had to stay at hotels located further out or were smaller than the elegant suite Luke, by way of his military affiliation, had been able to secure. Since both rooms only held one queen sized bed each, Luke and Lorelai had taken one, along with Billy who slept in the pack-and-play that was set up soon after their arrival. Jess had suggested Rory take the other bedroom, but Rory had declined, suggesting they flip for the bed.

Needless to say, Jess' quick hand (and trusty double headed coin) allowed him to conveniently "lose" the toss. Rory only rolled her eyes and shook her head as Jess temporarily used the ensuite bathroom to change and prepare for bed. Within an hour of their arrival, the Danes family said their goodnights and headed to their sleeping areas, leaving Jess to get comfortable on the sectional's pull out.

The next morning was a bit of a struggle for everyone. While Luke and Jess had no issue waking at 4:30, the women were not quite as ready to leave the comfort of their beds. 20 minutes after their alarms went off, the girls hadn't done more than mumble something about the sun not being up and coffee before drifting back to sleep. Sending Jess to wake his cousin, Luke returned to his bedroom to try to wake his wife again.

"Good morning, Lorelai." He spoke softly, gently shaking his wife.

"Early, hate early, must kill early." Lorelai mumbled into her pillow.

"I know, Babe, but Jess has to report to the gates at 0600, so we have to get a move on." He reminded her, removing the covers from where they lay covering her head before pulling her into a sitting position. "Up and at 'em, you can take a nap later once Jess is processed."

"Fine, you win," Lorelai gave in after Luke continued to encourage her to get up, "What about Billy?"

"You just do whatever magic you do in the bathroom; I'll make sure Billy is ready to go by the time you get out." Luke assured his wife.

"Okay," Lorelai agreed, crossing to the bathroom door.

In the other room, Jess wasn't nearly as patient with his step-cousin. After trying to gently wake the sleeping girl, he lost his patience and ripped the covers from the bed, revealing the t-shirt and boxer shorts she was wearing. Seeing as Rory's only response was to roll over and curl up on herself, Jess decided a more aggressive tactic was necessary, slipping out to the kitchen, he grabbed a glass and quickly filled it with ice cubes.

"Rory, this is you last warning," Jess advised, "If you don't get up now, you aren't going to like the consequences."

"G'way." Rory murmured, "It's too early."

"You gonna get up?" Jess asked.

"No." Came the mumbled response.

"Alright, don't say I didn't warn you." Jess chuckled, removing an ice cube from the glass in his hand. Gently pulling the back of Rory's t-shirt toward him by the collar, he tossed the ice cube down the back of her shirt.

With a scream, Rory was out of the bed like a flash. "I hate you, Jess!" She growled menacingly, "I really hate you."

"Hate me all you like as you're getting dressed," Jess remarked casually before walking back to the living area of the suite, rattling the remaining ice cubes in the glass. "And don't even think of going back to bed."

Rory just groaned and shuffled over to her duffel bag to grab a shirt and shorts to wear for the day. Quickly dressing, she joined Luke and Jess in the dining area for breakfast. Luke had already changed Billy who was sitting in a highchair with only his diaper on.

"Is there a reason?" She asked, gesturing to the toddler.

"Figured I'd wait to get him dressed until after he eats, easier to clean up." Luke explained.

"Ah, pancakes and coffee please." Rory asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Does this look like the diner to you?" Luke quirked an eye brow to the girl at the table before turning back to the stove.

"No, but you look like the diner owner, and you do seem to be cooking something." Rory countered as Jess set a steaming cup of coffee in front of her, "Even Diner Boy here has seemed to have taken a page from 'The Care and Feeding of a Gilmore Girl'

"Danes Dame," Luke corrected jokingly.

"…and was nice enough to bring me coffee, now I demand pancakes Diner Man." Rory continued.

"You demand pancakes?" Luke questioned, "What ever happened to asking nicely?"

"All chances of that ended when your dear nephew decided the best way to wake me up was to throw a cup of ice down my back."

"Jess…" Luke's voice took on a warning note

"It wasn't a whole glass." Jess defended himself, "It was one cube, and it worked, didn't it?"

"Yeah, fine, whatever." Rory groused as Luke handed her a small stack of pancakes before cutting up one for Billy.

"What are we 'fine, whatevering?'?" Lorelai asked as she breezed into the kitchen area and poured herself a cup of java.

"Apparently Jess had to use alternative tactics to wake our daughter this morning." Luke explained as he handed a plate of pancakes to his wife who flashed him an appreciative smile.

"Alternative tactics?" Lorelai grinned, "What kind of alternative tactics?"

"Mean ones." Rory supplied.

Lorelai looked at Jess for further explanations, "I put ice down the back of her shirt," he admitted.

"Ooh, juvenile, I like it." Lorelai teased as she tucked into her pancakes.

"It was really mean, Mom." Rory protested.

"What was I supposed to do, push you out of the bed?" Jess challenged, "I'd already poked you, called your name, pulled the covers from your bed. By the way you owe me a new t-shirt, you know that Metallica shirt you were wearing is not yours."

"Sue me." Rory retorted.

"Children, corners." Lorelai stopped the bickering before it escalated. "Rory, it sounds like Jess did everything he could other than cause you bodily harm to wake you this morning. At least ice down your shirt is not as bad as being pushed to the ground and bruised. We don't need anyone thinking you're abused."

Rory just sighed defeated and finished her breakfast.

"Now Jess," Lorelai continued, turning to her nephew, "Ice down the shirt is very creative, but I for future reference, if you have to wake her again, a cup of coffee on the bedside table will help when trying to rouse a Gilmore Girl."

"Danes Dame." Luke murmured.

"Fine, Danes Dame." Lorelai smiled at her husband, humor in her eyes. Ever since they'd gotten married, Luke had been referring to Lorelai and Rory as Danes Dames rather than Gilmore Girls. She rather liked the affectionate term, having his name used in reference to them was a good type of possessive. Kind of like how hearing him refer to her as his wife sent a thrill up her spine, or the way warmth spread through her body every time she heard him claim Rory as his daughter.

"But what about my shirt?" Jess asked.

"We'll buy you a new one," Lorelai shrugged, "Not that you'll really be needing civvies anytime soon by what Lukie has told me."

"Don't call me Lukie." Came the muttered response as Luke collected the dishes and began to wash them in the sink.

"All done, Bubba?" Rory asked her little brother who had clearly moved on from eating to playing with his food. She picked him up and carried the boy to her parent's room to get him dressed.

"His shirt and hat are in the smaller bag." Lorelai called after her as she sat finishing her third cup of coffee. Rory just nodded her understanding before closing the door behind her to get her brother ready for the day.

After a quick rinse and diaper change, Rory quickly dressed her little brother in the khaki shorts and shirt her mother had told her to put on him. Billy giggled as she tugged socks and shoes on to his wiggling feet before pulling a small baseball cap on the boy's head and picking him up. "Alright Billy boy, let's go get Jess to school."

"Jesh," The boy asked and pointed toward the dining room where their cousin had last been seen. "Bye-bye?"

"Yeah Bud," Rory nodded somewhat sad, "Jess is going bye-bye for a while."

When their children had returned to the common area, Luke couldn't help but chuckle at what his son was wearing. It was a very typical Lorelai/Rory outfit to dress the boy in. The dark blue shirt he had on had _NAVY_ printed in gold on the front and on the back was DANES printed in an arch between his shoulder blades and in the middle of the back was _'16_ , the year he would be graduating high school and possibly follow the Danes before him into the Corps. The –backwards- hat on the boy's head was the toddler version of the one Luke wore every day at the diner. "You know, you're going to have to turn that hat around once we get to the Academy." Luke advised, "Keep the sun out of his eyes."

Rory nodded her understanding and handed the boy off to his father and headed into her room to grab her purse before rejoining the group in the living room. Her parents already had her brother in his stroller, the manly camouflage diaper bag Luke usually carried resting in the storage compartment underneath. Jess, who had been leaning up against the side of the couch when she'd walked in, slung his old duffel bag over his shoulder and smiled nervously over what he was about to do. "Shall we roll out?"

"Roll out." Luke confirmed as he opened the door for his family to make their way across the campus to where Jess would be checked in a processed. The process of checking in didn't take long as they were one of the first families to show up. Immediately following, Jess was whisked into Founders Hall to be processed and the family didn't see him again until Lunch. Lorelai and Rory whiled their day away shopping in the campus store picking up various items for themselves and for Jess, all printed with the NAVY logo on them. Billy was left with Luke who was enjoying playing the proud Papa whenever he came across an old classmate or instructor.

"Danes!" Came a booming voice from behind him as he sat on a shaded bench while his son dozed quietly in his arms. Almost as if his body had a mind of its own, it reacted immediately to the voice. Adjusting the sleeping boy to rest on his shoulder, the boy's head resting in the same place his Drill rifle used to sit all those years ago. The rest of his body at attention as he turned to face the man who had called his name.

"Commandant Mitchell." Luke responded as he saluted, he may not be active duty any more, but he was still on the Individual Ready Reserve roster, necessitating he salute the superior officer.

The stoic administrator returned the solute and a grandfatherly smile spread across his face. While he might deny it, he always had a soft spot in his heart for the Danes men. He had served with William, and had become Commandant of the Academy by the time Luke applied. The Danes' had a long history in the Corps just as the Mitchells so they were like family. "I heard you were on campus, along with the next generation of Danes officer candidates, but I think this one is a little young." He nodded toward the sleeping toddler.

"He may be young, but I think he could make it." Luke joked, "Assuming we get him to stop sleeping on the job, give him another 17 years."

"You have an older son?"

"No, we – my wife and I – brought our nephew." Luke explained as he shifted the now waking toddler to his hip, "Liz got into some trouble a while back and Lorelai and I took him in. After hearing about his grandfather's and my time in the corps as well as collaborating with me on an assignment I had, he decided he wanted to follow in our footsteps. He even went so far as to head out to Texas to MMA to finish out high school, even stayed over two summers so he could graduate a year early with the rank of Cadet Lieutenant Colonel."

"Impressive." The commandant nodded, "Any chance we might be able to get this one?"

"Maybe in a few years," Luke shrugged, "I know his mom and sister might have something to say about it, but I guess we'll have to wait and see what Billy here wants to do."

"Named for his grandfather?"

"Both of them." Luke nodded toward the boy who had been watching the exchange in the typical Danes way, silently. "Commandant Mitchell, meet William Richard Danes."

"He does look an awful lot like Will, doesn't he?" The commandant commented.

"You'd think that, but just wait until you meet his mother." Luke chuckled. Almost as if summoned by the mere mention of her, Lorelai walked up behind him, Rory in tow bags in their hands.

"Hey Babe," She smiled, kissing Luke before setting the bags on the stroller and taking her son into her arms. "Hey Bubba, did you have a good nap?"

"Lorelai, Rory," Luke caught their attention, "I want you to meet someone. Commandant James Mitchell this is my wife Lorelai and her daughter Lorelai, but we call the little one Rory."

"Ladies." The commandant touched the bill of his cover, "Lorelai, forgive me, but you look familiar. Have we met before?"

"Not unless you are somehow connected to someone from the DAR." Lorelai shrugged.

"You're society?" The older man asked.

"Recovering," Lorelai shrugged before handing her son, who was now squirming to be let down, to her daughter to play on the rolling lawn nearby. "My family is from Hartford, but I left after I had Rory. I never really fit there, and my folks wouldn't let me raise her the way I wanted to, so I relocated to Stars Hollow."

"I don't mean to be impertinent, but you look fairly young to have a teenaged daughter."

"I was 17 when Rory was born," Lorelai wasn't fazed by the question, she'd grown used to it over the past 13 years, "Richard and Emily thought it would be a good idea for me and Rory's father to marry, I had other ideas."

"Richard and Emily…" The Commandant started, "Not Richard and Emily Gilmore."

"Those would be my parents." Lorelai admitted.

"I've known Richard for years, we came up together," The older man smiled, "He went to Yale, I came to the Academy, we've stayed in touch over the years. I remember he named his daughter after his mother, I see you carried on the tradition with Rory and Little William there."

"Yep," Lorelai smiled, "Why find new names when you can just recycle the old ones? I'm either really lazy or the Demerol took over when they were each born."

"Don't believe her." Luke cut in, "We decided on Billy's name long before he was born, now I wasn't around when Rory was born but I'd put good money on the fact her name was decided beforehand as well, Demerol be damned."

The older man chuckled before glancing down at his wrist watch which gleamed under the dark blue jacket he was wearing. "Well I'd better be off. It was nice to see you again Lorelai." He nodded to her before turning to Luke, "You too, Danes. You have a beautiful family."

"Thank you, sir." Luke smiled, shaking the man's outstretched hand. "You take care of my nephew now. His name's Mariano, fairly sure he's the only one by that name here."

"Mariano," The older man nodded, "I seem to remember a glowing recommendation for a Jessup Mariano from the MMA Commandant."

"That'd be him, but if you value your life or the lives of your midshipmen, I would recommend addressing him as Mariano or Jess." Luke chuckled, "He hates that his mother saddled him with Jessup as a name."

"Duly warned." The commandant nodded before continuing on his way toward Founder's Hall.

"He was nice." Lorelai commented softly.

"He's known me since I was born." Luke supplied, taking a seat on the bench, "He and my dad were close from the Academy on. I wouldn't be surprised if our fathers met through him at one point or another."

"I think they did, once." Lorelai cocked her head up at her husband, taking a seat next to him. "Seems Dad was having some issues fixing one of his hobby classic cars and a friend of his suggested this guy who showed up in an old beat up green Chevy loaded up with various parts and had it fixed in minutes."

"I remember that," Luke nodded, "I was a junior in high school, working at Dad's hardware store when Mitchell called asking for him. Within minutes he headed out the door and loaded his truck up with some spare parts only telling me that he was going out to Hartford for a bit and would be back shortly. He came back three hours later talking about this guy, Rich. I remember wondering if Rich was a name or a description."

"Both," Lorelai chuckled.

"I know that now." Luke smiled and turned back to look at their children.

"Mom hated that nickname." Lorelai spoke softly, almost as if speaking too loudly would make the memory disappear. "His frat buddies used to call him that, but Mom hated it. She eventually got him to stop using it, but whenever he wanted to bond with another man he would introduce himself as Rich."

"I wonder if we would have met if I'd gone with him." Luke mused aloud.

"Maybe, but I doubt you would have remembered me." Lorelai shrugged, "I was probably 10 or 11 years old, and you were a junior in high school which would have made you 16 or 17."

"You never know what could have happened, Liz is only a couple years older than you." Luke commented, "I probably would have noticed you based just on that."

"Yeah, but then our relationship would have been a brother/sister thing." Lorelai put her arm through Luke's and leaned on his shoulder, "I really prefer it this way."

"Oh really?" Luke smiled down at her, "Why's that?"

"Because this way you looove me," Lorelai explained, drawing out the 'o' in love before whispering in his ear, "And I get to see you in all your naked glory strutting around our room."

Luke blushed, "I don't strut," He muttered.

"Oh yes you do," Lorelai smiled at him impishly, "Right after, sometimes you think I fell asleep in your arms. Sometimes that's true, but when you slide out of bed to use the bathroom, it still wakes me. You may not notice it, but you have a cocky little strut to your step."

"Dirty." Luke murmured in her ear. "Maybe I'll strut around more often after the kids are asleep." Now it was Lorelai's turn to blush.

"Promises, promises." Lorelai grinned. A few minutes later Rory and a tired out Billy returned to their parents to meet up with Jess one more time before going home.


	11. Birthdays and Baby Daddies

**October 23, 2000  
Danes Home  
0517 hours**

Luke had just gotten dressed when his wife came bursting through the bathroom door, "Sorry Babe," was all she could manage to whimper before falling to her knees in front of the toilet to revisit the previous night's dinner.

"Are you okay?" He asked, holding her head as her stomach finished emptying.

"I shouldn't have had the Kung pow chicken last night," Lorelai groaned, flushing the toilet before grabbing a cup and rinsing out her mouth.

"Maybe," Luke shrugged, "Are you going to be okay? Should I call Caesar to open? He's probably up right now."

"I'm fine Hun," Lorelai insisted, grabbing her toothbrush and the toothpaste from a nearby drawer. "I feel a lot better now that it's out of my system."

Luke gave her a disbelieving look as he watched her methodically rid her mouth of the taste of repeated chicken. He felt her forehead quickly and once he was satisfied she didn't have a fever he walked into the bedroom to grab his flannel and hat. "I'm going to go open, as soon as Caesar and Ken get in, I'll come back. Let Rory take care of Billy okay? Just in case you have a bug or something. I don't want you going to work either, call Michel and have him find someone to cover you."

"Fine," Lorelai agreed reluctantly as she shuffled back to her bed.

"You sure you don't want something before I go? Some saltines or tea?" Luke kissed his wife on her forehead. Lorelai just shook her head and grabbed one of Luke's pillows to snuggle with. "Okay, I'll see you in a few hours."

Luke quietly closed the bedroom door behind him now that Lorelai had fallen back to sleep. He grabbed his boots from where he'd left them by the back door before slipping them on and after hearing her alarm go of, he knocked softly on Rory's door before slowly opening it. "Rory?"

"Yeah, Dad?" Rory asked, wiping the remnants of sleep from her eyes.

"Your mom isn't feeling well; do you think you could keep an eye on Billy until time for school?" Luke asked, "I have to go open the diner, but I'll be back to take you to class. Just make sure Billy is dressed and ready to go by the time I get back."

"Okay," Rory nodded, "I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, Princess," Luke kissed his daughter's head before grabbing his coat and setting out into the brisk autumn morning.

True to her word, Rory had gotten her little brother dressed and fed before Luke returned. After telling Lorelai that he was going to take Billy with him to the diner, he loaded the kids up in the SUV and headed towards Hartford to drop off Rory who was bundled in thick stockings under her uniform skirt and her blouse and sweater layered beneath the coat she wore to ward off the morning chill. As soon as they pulled up in front of the impressive stone building, she grabbed her book bag and, wishing her guys a good day, hopped out of the truck and ran inside to join her classmates.

The whole way back to the diner, Luke thought about how well Rory seemed to be doing well at her new school. Although when she had transferred in at the beginning of her 8th grade year, she still had to play a little bit of catch-up to get up to the level her classmates were at. Luckily this only took Rory a few weeks, and she was now one of the top students in her class and had been ever since high school started. The drive back to Stars Hollow was quiet, as Billy had fallen asleep in his car seat as he usually did on their drives to and from Hartford.

Before he knew it, Luke was pulling into his parking spot behind the diner and unloading his still dozing son before grabbing the camouflage-printed diaper bag that Lorelai had given him on his first Father's Day over a two years before. As he made his way back into the diner, he felt Billy stirring in his arms. "Hey there, Bud," He cooed to the two-year-old, "Have a good nap?"

Billy, who seemed to take after his father and cousin just nodded silently; his pale blue eyes a mirror if his father's own drowsily blinking up at the older man. "Are you hungry?" Luke asked only to be answered with a small shrug before the boy reached out and pointed at a bowl of fruit that sat on the counter. "That's my boy, do you want a banana?" Billy just smiled sleepily and nodded again.

The diner was starting to fill up as Luke grabbed a booster seat and set his son up at a small table near the far side of the counter where he wouldn't be in the path of the wait staff who were bustling between the kitchen and the dining room but still would be in full view of Luke at all times. Unzipping the boy's coat and lowering the hood that had covered his head, Luke chuckled at what Rory had chosen for Billy's clothes for the day. "Very funny, Rory." He muttered under his breath.

"Oh how adorable," Miss Patty cooed looking between father and son, both clad nearly identically from the blue baseball caps on their heads to the red flannels, jeans and boots.

"Rory dressed him today," Luke explained to the older woman who had started to make faces at the boy who laughed at her antics, "I think she thought she was being funny."

"Maybe you should institute this as the new uniform," Rasped Babette.

"I don't think so," Luke shook his head as he chopped up one of the bananas on a small plastic plate before tying a bib around his son's neck and placing the small plate in front of the boy to munch on. "I'll probably wind up changing him after he's done any way." He shrugged watching as the boy smooshed the banana between his chubby fingers before smashing the pieces into his mouth.

"So where's your lovely bride this morning?" Patty inquired, taking a seat at a nearby table with Babette so they could both play with little Billy as they enjoyed their breakfasts.

"Lorelai isn't feeling well." Luke explained as he poured their coffee, "She thinks she may have had some bad Kung pow last night."

"Oh that's too bad," Patty sympathized shaking her head sadly, "If you want I can take little mister Billy over to my studio for a bit after I eat, I'm sure the ladies in my senior yoga class would love to see him."

"I'll think about it." Luke smiled, "Are you ladies going to want something to eat or are you just sticking with the coffee?"

Patty and Babette seemed to accept the change of topic and placed their orders before Luke handed the slip off to Caesar, who was manning the kitchen that day. The morning passed quickly and the ladies played with Billy while they ate before Luke finally relented and let them take the boy with them over to the studio for a couple hours so that he could get some stuff done around the diner during the slow period between the breakfast and lunch rushes.

While Luke was working at the diner; Lorelai was still lying in bed. Luckily she hadn't had to throw up again, but she was still feeling a touch nauseous and decided to give in and call out sick for the day. "Michel? Hi, look I'm not feeling too hot today… nothing much just a touch of the flu… no, I'm sure it's not bird flu… and I doubt that I've infected you… Fine, wipe down every conceivable surface with the Lysol wipes that Sookie keeps in the pantry… No I don't need to talk to her… Mi… oh hey Sookie!"

"Hey Dollface!" Sookie's voice crooned over the phone. She had found out a few months ago that she and Jackson were expecting their first child, and had become a bit of a mother hen when it came to her coworkers and staff. "Michel said you weren't feeling too good."

"I'm not," Lorelai sighed, "My early morning wake up and try to entice the hubby back to bed routine was rudely interrupted by mad worship at the porcelain throne."

"Oh Muffin," Sookie cooed, "Would you like me to bring over some of my magic risotto? I can bring it by on my lunch break."

"I would love some," Lorelai smile turned into a grimace as her stomach rolled a bit as it had been all morning. "It would make a nice break from the dry toast, saltines, and ginger ale I've been trying to choke down today."

"Are you sure you're not…" Sookie started, "Oh what am I thinking?" she chucked to herself, "Ignore me, I'm just a bit silly."

"What are you being silly about?" Lorelai questioned her friend.

"I think I just have babies on the brain," Sookie explained, "Jackson and I have decided to start trying to have a little brother or sister for Davey."

Lorelai suddenly fell silent, her heart beating so fast that she was sure that Sookie could hear it through the phone. "Lorelai?" She heard her friend ask, "Hunny, are you okay?"

"Fine," Lorelai choked out, mentally counting back as she had two years before, "I'll uh, see you when you get here." She spoke quickly before disconnecting the call, much to her best friend's surprise. "Could I be?" She murmured to herself. "It is possible… I mean, Luke and I aren't exactly celibate..."

Quick as her legs would carry her and her stomach would allow without revolting, she ran into the bathroom looking for the small day planner she kept in the bottom cabinet drawer. Opening the drawer, she found it next to the unopened box of tampons that had apparently been purchased long enough ago that she had not clear memory of when they had been picked up. Her hands shook as she slowly opened the booklet and flipped back over the past couple months not seeing the telltale red X's until she hit the month of July. _Maybe I am…_ she thought to herself, _Is it too soon? No, Billy is three years old, by the time this one comes he'll be nearly four._ Lorelai pondered the question for a few moments more before deciding that she was actually a little excited that she might be pregnant again.

A couple short hours later, Sookie arrived with a bag full of treats for Lorelai. In a large Tupperware container, she had the magic risotto, and over her arm she had a bag with various items, a bottle of ginger ale, some peppermint tea – just in case they were out, Theraflu, and the last item in the bag was a small white and pink box that she silently handed to her friend. Lorelai smiled gratefully at her friend's foresight and took the box with her upstairs. When she had returned, she was smiling so wide that Sookie knew exactly what the result was.

"I'm so happy for you!" She squealed, pulling her friend to her as best she could over her developing belly, "When are you going to tell Luke?"

"Well, his birthday is tomorrow." Lorelai, "Assuming I can get through dinner tonight I think I'll tell him then."

"I think that'll be the best birthday present he'll get, Peaches." Sookie gushed, "I gotta get back to the inn, but call me tomorrow and let me know how he took it."

"I will, Sook, thanks for stopping by," Lorelai smiled, waving as her friend climbed into her new mini-van and drove off. _Wow,_ Lorelai thought, _I can't wait to tell Luke._

 **Gilmore Mansion  
1845 hours**

Luke stood with Billy balanced on his hip as Lorelai and Rory silently fought over whose turn it was to ring the bell. After a few more moments of their childish stand-off he rolled his eyes and hit the doorbell himself. The large oak door swung open to reveal yet another new maid.

"May I help you?" She asked sweetly.

"Yes, we're the death row inmates here to have our final meal." Lorelai joked, but it was lost on the simple minded girl, with a loud sigh, she shifted tactics. "We're here for dinner with Richard and Emily, we're the daughter, the son-in-law, and grandchildren."

"Oh, of course, come on in." The maid stood aside to allow them to pass before collecting their coats.

"Good evening!" Richard greeted them in his typical jovial way, "You are all looking quite well this evening."

"Thanks, Dad." Lorelai smiled warmly at her father as she joined Luke taking her seat on the settee while Rory sat quietly on a small chair across from her grandfather. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Luke," Richard turned his attention to his son-in-law, "A little birdy told me it is your birthday tomorrow."

Luke looked at his wife who gave him an innocent shrug before he heard a youthful giggle escape his daughter's lips. "So, it was you." He smirked at the girl's attempts at controlling her laughter, "You will pay." He teased.

"Sorry, Daddy." The girl gave him her best Gilmore pout and batted her eyes at him. She got the result she wanted when Luke visibly relaxed.

"We thought we'd get you a little something." Richard explained, handing a small, thin, square box to Luke.

"Uh, thanks," He murmured, slowly unwrapping the gift while his wife goaded him.

"Save the paper, save the paper, we've had that paper since 1937." She laughed good-naturedly.

Luke just rolled his eyes and lifted the lid of the box to reveal an antique pocket watch that had the Marine emblem engraved on one side and the Semper Fidelis inscribed on the other. "Wow, thank you." He responded awestruck at the gift.

"You're very welcome my boy; we found it at an antique shop in the Vineyard this last summer and thought you might like it." Richard smiled at him before standing, "Now, shall we get on with our evening? Would anyone like a drink?"

"I'll have a scotch and soda," Luke ordered followed by Rory's and Lorelai's requests for club soda, while Emily ordered a martini.

"Are you feeling alright?" Emily asked her daughter, "Are you sure you only want club soda?"

"I'm fine, Mom." Lorelai assured her, "My stomach was just acting up a bit today, bad chicken or something last night. I just don't want to tempt fate."

Emily didn't exactly believe the excuse but knew better than to push the matter. Although her relationship with her daughter left something to be desired, it was much better than it had been. If Lorelai was willing to lie about what was going on, Emily would just have to try to accept it and hope that eventually all would be revealed.

"So Rory," Richard smiled warmly at his granddaughter as he took his seat, scotch in hand, "How is life at Chilton treating you?"

"It's treating me very well," Rory smiled, "It's challenging, but in a good way, and while some of the kids are intense, and very competitive, I found I've been able to hold my own beside them. I'm ranked fifth in my class right now, I believe."

"That is wonderful to hear!" Richard beamed with pride at his granddaughter. "Keep this up and you'll be head of the class in a few more months. Maybe even valedictorian when graduation rolls around."

"That's not for at least a couple years, Dad." Lorelai pointed out, "Let's just let her focus on getting through the 10th grade first."

"Of course, of course," Richard nodded, "You're absolutely right."

A moment later the maid announced that dinner was ready which caused Emily to grouse in her typical fashion that it was five minutes late and how it was absolutely unacceptable behavior and that the maid would have to be let go. Luke was happy to see that dinner this night was made up of some of his favorite dishes. A garden salad to start with followed by chicken and rice casserole and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Once dinner was over with, the family set off for Stars Hollow as Billy was growing rapidly crankier as the night rolled around. With all the excitement of the day, being passed from diner patron to diner patron before spending some time with Patty and being sent back to the diner until Luke was able to head home, the child hadn't had a nap all day and everyone was starting to feel the beginnings of a massive toddler meltdown if he wasn't put to bed soon.

The rest of the family must have been just as tired, evident by how quickly they all fell asleep once their head hit the pillow. Everyone but Lorelai, that is. She was tired, but she couldn't quite fall asleep just yet. She smiled softly in the dark as she tucked her hand under her head, fingers brushing the old bracelet box hidden there. She hoped Luke would really like his present, with the smile still on her lips, she allowed herself to fall asleep to the rhythmic snores of her husband.

 **October 24** **th** **2000  
Danes home  
0830 hours**

Luke awoke to the smell of tea, oatmeal, and fresh fruit while he was jostled around by something moving on the bed. As his eyes slowly parted, he found that his son was bouncing all over the bed while Rory carefully carried the small breakfast tray and waited for Luke to sit up before placing it over his lap while Lorelai watched proudly.

"Present time!" Lorelai announced as she pulled a long white box that had been tied with a blue flannel ribbon from under her pillow. She waited while Rory presented her gift, a small bat key chain with the Red Sox logo on it, before handing over her gift.

Lorelai looked on expectantly as Luke slowly untied the ribbon and opened the box. He almost couldn't believe his eyes looking between the stick which clearly showed a pink plus sign on it and his wife, "Are you serious?"

"Yep, went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and she confirmed it." Lorelai smiled.

"What did you…" Rory started before registering what her mother had just said and adding it to the stupid grins her parents were now giving each other along with Lorelai's nausea the day before, "Oh my God! You're…"

"Yep!" Lorelai crowed, "You, my friend, are going to be a big sister again!"

"Wow!" Rory's face was split with a huge grin, "I can't wait to tell Lane!"

"Later, Babe," Lorelai laughed, "I think right now, we should just revel in this as a family."

"A baby," Luke sighed to himself, "I'm going to be a daddy… again. Thank you, Lorelai, this is the best gift you could have ever given me."

"Technically you helped." Lorelai teased causing Rory to chastise them for being gross in front of their children, "You ain't seen nothing yet." Lorelai laughed before planting a loud kiss on her husband's lips. Luke just laughed and, having put the breakfast tray to the side, pulled Lorelai into his lap to give her a soft, passionate kiss.

"Okay, that's it," Rory half-teased, "This is not appropriate for little eyes to be seeing." With that, she scooped up her little brother and covered his eyes before she took him out of the room to get changed and dressed.

Luke and Lorelai just laughed at her antics before curling up together on their bed to enjoy the news of their new addition to fully sink in. "So I suppose we should probably start looking for a bigger place." Luke sighed, squeezing his wife's shoulders, "You don't think Old Man Twickam would be willing to sell would you?"

"I dunno, Babe." His wife shrugged sleepily, "It couldn't hurt to ask, it is an awfully big place for just one little old man."

"I'll stop by tomorrow and talk to him," Luke nodded resolutely, "Like you said it couldn't hurt to ask." They laid in silence for a few more moments before he turned his head until he was nose to nose with his bride. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Not lately, but it's always nice to hear." Lorelai smiled back at him before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Luke smiled against her softness and knew, without a doubt, that he would never forget this birthday for as long as he lived.

 **October 25, 2000  
Twickam House  
1425 hours**

Luke wasn't able to head over to meet with Old Man Twickam until nearly two-thirty the next day. For a while there it seemed the after-church brunch crowd would never die down. By about two, it had calmed enough that Caesar suggested that Luke head home. Pointing out the man looked about ready to fall asleep on his feet. Nodding in agreement, Luke tossed his order pad on the counter and grabbed his jacket before heading out.

Luckily no one noticed that instead of turning left to head home, he'd gone straight across the square towards the old Colonial home. Taking a steadying breath, he made his way up the steps and knocked on the front door. He waited for a few moments but heard no sound to indicate anyone had heard him, and knocked again. This time he could hear the older man call out for whoever was at the door to hold their horses. Muttering something about the youths today having no patience, Clarence "Old Man" Twickam opened the door.

"Lucas!" He brightened up when he saw the diner owner on his stoop. "Is there something I can do for you this fine autumn day?"

"Yes, I believe there might be." Luke smiled back, "I don't mean to be rude but it's a little brisk out here, do you mind if I step inside?"

"Oh, of course, where are my manners?" Mr. Twickam shook his head before stepping back to allow the younger man inside. "Would you like some tea? I was just making some when you knocked."

"I wouldn't want to put you out." Luke protested.

"Nonsense, now do you want some or not?"

"I guess a cup won't hurt." Luke shrugged.

"Alright," The older man nodded, "You go on and make yourself comfortable in the study and I'll be in shortly."

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Luke offered.

"Young man, I may not be a young as I once was, but I am more than capable to carry two cups of tea." Clarence scolded him lightly before shuffling off to the kitchen.

Luke just shook his head, humored by the older man. Clarence was an old family friend, having grown up with Luke's grandfather, Benjamin. He'd even served in the same battalion as old Ben during World War Two. He'd spent a lot of time in this home visiting with Clarence's grandchildren growing up. As always, he was amazed at how well kept the large house was; nothing ever seemed to change. Making his way into the study, he settled into a large leather chair that he swore had been there since before he was born to wait for the older man to return.

Luckily, it wasn't a long wait as the kitchen was fairly close to the study. Within moments of Luke taking a seat, Mr. Twickam returned with two steaming mugs of tea on a tray with a small pot of honey, some cookies, and spoons. "You still take a bit of honey in your tea, don't you?"

"Yes, sir." Luke nodded, amazed that the older man still remembered how he took his tea more than 30 years later. As soon as Clarence set the tray on the desk, both men took a moment to doctor their tea before getting down to business.

"So Lucas," Mr. Twickam started, settling into his own chair with a cookie and his drink, "What is it you wished to speak to me about?"

"Well you see, I… um, hmm." Luke stammered.

"Spit it out son," Clarence smiled kindly at him.

"Right," Luke nodded, "Have you ever considered selling your house?"

"Not recently," The older man looked at Luke thoughtfully, "Not since my dear Francis passed. Why do you ask?"

"As you know, Lorelai and I got married a few years back." Luke started, "We remodeled the house to make some extra room in case we ever made additions to the family."

"I remember that," Clarence nodded, "You had Tom Bishop helping you with that project, am I right?"

"That we did," Luke took a sip of his tea, "You see, shortly after the renovations started, my nephew Jess came to stay with us. After he left for school, we found out that Lorelai was pregnant with little Billy. Since Jess was in Texas and would be an adult by the time he came back for any length of time, we gave Billy Jess's old room."

"I see, but I take it that you once again find yourself at a lack of space." Clarence observed.

"Very much so." Luke smiled, "Lorelai just informed me yesterday that we are expecting another addition to our family. We had never planned to have more than one kid together, but we weren't exactly avoiding it either. Now we have a baby on the way and no place to put it."

"Seem you have yourself quite a pickle, Lucas." Stated the older man.

"You could say that." Luke chuckled, "You see, I've always admired your home and hoped one day to own it were you ever to not have need of it. It's the perfect size for our growing family, and I know it's an inconvenience, but I was hoping you would be inclined to allow me to make you an offer?"

Clarence just sat back and drank his tea quietly while he looked thoughtfully at the diner owner. He had been thinking lately about possibly downsizing, after all, it was only him in the large house, his wife had passed away several years ago, he children, grandchildren, and even some of his great-grandchildren were now grown. He gave some consideration to Luke's words before speaking slowly. "If we were to do this, how soon would you be needing the house?"

"Lorelai only just told me about the pregnancy," Luke mused doing some calculations in his head, "So I figure we have at least six or seven months before she's due, barring any unusual circumstances. I would guess around March or April would be the best time, if not sooner."

"I suppose that would work." The older man nodded thoughtfully, "I have been considering finding a smaller place to live, perhaps a small apartment in a retirement facility somewhere. This is an awful lot of house for one little old man." He chuckled, "Give me some time to get my affairs in order and we can revisit this then."

"Thank you, Mr. Twickam." Luke beamed, "You have no idea what this means to me."

"You forget, I originally bought this home for my growing family," Clarence reminded him, "As a father, I understand the need to provide the best environment for your family. Now keep in mind that she may be a beauty of a house, but he's also a fairly old girl. She's likely to need more repairs than the home you have now, nothing terribly bad comes to mind at the moment, but you might want to make sure the bannister is steady and you aren't missing any shingles on the roof."

Luke just nodded, unsure of what else he could do but thank the kind of man repeatedly. "I don't think that would be a problem," He commented once he found his voice again. "Now I insist on paying fair market value for the house."

"I respect that choice," Old Man Twickam nodded, "However, I'm sure that bride of yours will likely want to renovate some things, I know the master bathroom could probably do with a spruce, the third floor bathroom as well. The kitchen could probably stand some new appliances, I'll let you be the judge of that one. I insist that whatever you plan to pay for the renovations be deducted from the price of the home."

"I couldn't," Luke protested, "I have enough set aside to pay the value of the home as well as any repairs and renovations that need to occur before we move in. Not to mention I can't short you on the cost knowing full well you'll need it for wherever you're going."

"Lucas, I can assure you that even after taking the cost of repairs and renovation from the sale price, I will have more than enough to last me." The kind man smiled at him, "I insist you take this offer if you we are to proceed with this negotiation."

Luke knew the older man well enough to know not to argue the matter further. "Fine, have it your way then," He muttered before pulling an order pad from the pocket of his jacket and a pen. He wrote down a quick figure and handed it to the older man. "This is what I'm prepared to offer for the house, after renovations."

Clarence took the paper and looked at the number scribbled there before looking back to the other man, "I'm afraid that won't work." He started.

Luke's face fell, he'd been concerned that Old Man Twickam would reject his offer. "I'm sorry, but that's all I can do, I understand if you wish to back out."

"On the contrary, son," Clarence chuckled before scribbling another number and handing the slip to Luke, "Your offer, while fair for the cost of the property, was much higher than I would be able to accept. I hope you find my counter offer is amenable to both of us."

Luke looked at the slip of paper to see that the older man had cut his original proposed offer by nearly 40%, "I couldn't possibly… That's not fair to you, sir."

"I quite disagree," He shook his head, "It is more than enough to get me where I need to go and then some. You spend the rest of what you'd proposed to fix this place up for your family. Hell, overhaul the shop if you wish, I don't care. All I want is for your family to be as happy here as my family was."

"Thank you," Luke nodded, overwhelmed at the man's generosity, "I'll have to talk it over with Lorelai and I'll get back to you."

"Of course, check it over with the boss, I'm sure you'll both find it acceptable." Clarence rose form his chair, "Now, as much as I enjoy visiting with you - something we should do more often than once every few years, mind you - I'm sure you need to get back to work."

Luke glanced at his watch to find the older man was right, "Is that really the time? You're right I should head out. Thank you again." He shook Mr. Twickam's hand then headed toward the front door and on to his diner.

He couldn't help but smile at the deal that was more or less done. As long as Lorelai was willing to go along with it, that is. Luke couldn't help but smile the rest of the evening, which drew some concerned looks from his concerned diner patrons. He knew that there would be rumors the next day, speculating about the cause behind his enthusiasm, but he didn't care. _Let them go nuts trying to figure this out._ Luke thought jovially before getting back to work. He couldn't wait to get home and tell Lorelai.


	12. New Marshal in Town

**November 27, 2000  
Twickam House a.k.a New Danes Home  
1100 hours**

"Really, Lorelai, Thanksgiving was only yesterday." Luke grumped at his wife, "Don't you think we could give it a week before putting up the Christmas lights?"

"No, it has to be done now." Lorelai insisted, "There are two very good reasons to do it now. First, this house is bigger so the sooner we start putting up the lights, the sooner we know how much more we need to finish the house."

"When you say 'we' you really mean me, don't you?" Luke raised his eyebrow at her.

"Which naturally brings us to point numero dos." Lorelai quipped, "Your pregnant wife, who you love more than your own life wants you to do it and she is willing to reward you for your work."

"What kind of reward are we talking?" Luke murmured leaning toward his wife.

"The dirty kind." Lorelai flashed the smile she reserved only for him.

"I like those kind of rewards." Luke purred in her ear as he kissed her neck.

"Oh gross, guys!" Rory complained as she walked into the living room to see her parents making out on the couch. "You have a room for that kind of stuff. It's bad enough I know how Baby Danes one and two were created, I don't need a visual demonstration!"

Lorelai just laughed as Luke rolled his eyes. He'd learned long ago to not scold Rory's directness; she was too much like her mother in that fashion. "Point taken, I should probably head to Woodbridge Hardware anyway, pick up a few more strings of lights." Luke sighed, standing up from the couch and heading toward the door to grab his old green jacket.

"Babe, make sure you get the…" Lorelai started to remind him.

"Yeah, the multi-colored chasing lights." Luke nodded, "One time I bring home the wrong kind and she has to remind me every year." He muttered to himself.

"Love you," Lorelai called to him, a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, yeah, love you too, Crazy Lady." Luke chuckled before heading out into the crisp autumn morning.

"So," Lorelai scooted over to wear Luke had been sitting on the couch and patted the cushion beside her, indicating for her daughter to sit. "You unpacked yet?"

"Yep," Rory nodded, "Just finished the last box this morning. I don't think I realized how many books I've accumulated over the years."

"I don't think anyone really knows how many books you have." Lorelai chuckled, "Especially since you and Jess are constantly sending them back and forth, I'm amazed you two know whose book is whose."

"It's really quite simple, really." Rory shrugged, "His have writing in them, mine don't."

"Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of reading if there's no words?" Lorelai looked at her daughter puzzled.

"No, have you ever seen the inside of Jess' books?" Rory laughed, "The margins are filled with his thoughts on each and every book he's read, sometimes it's a reflection on a section, or a reference to another book, but without fail, nearly every page of every book he has is filled with pencil marks."

"Have you heard from him lately?" Lorelai asked.

"You mean aside from yesterday when he called to tell us Happy Thanksgiving and tell us he wasn't going to make it for Christmas?" Rory prompted, "Yeah, I received a letter from him on Tuesday. I had told him about Baby Danes take two, he's really excited about having another cousin. I'm a little bummed we won't see him until next year now."

"You miss him?"

"Well, yeah, I mean he's my best friend, aside from you and Lane. I miss being able to banter with him face to face." Rory shrugged. "But I'm proud of him."

"I'm glad you two are so close," Lorelai smiled at the 14-year-old, "I was never close with my cousins, and it really was lonely being an only child. Not that Grandma and Grandpa didn't want more, it just never happened for them."

"I'm happy our family is so close, too." Rory agreed, "Do you think Aunt Liz will want to get to know me and the kiddos when she's released?"

"I don't know, Sweets," Lorelai shook her head, "She's still got five years left on her sentence. I know she talks to Luke on occasion, but I don't know if she's wanting anything more than that. That's not even including how Jess would feel about her being back in his life."

"I know what you mean." Rory nodded, "He's told me a little about what it was like growing up with her, I know he probably glossed over some of the really bad stuff, but what he did tell me was awful. I don't know if he'll ever be able to completely forgive her."

"I hope he can make his peace with what he went through someday, whether or not he ever is able to forgive her." Lorelai spoke softly, "No kid deserves to grow up like that, and he's come a long way from the sarcastic kid that showed up four years ago. I think he was right about following in Luke and William's footsteps being a good thing for him."

"Yeah," Rory agreed. The women sat in comfortable silence for a bit before Lorelai looked over at her daughter.

"Where's your brother?" She asked suspiciously.

"Napping." Rory shrugged, "I got him lunch while you and Dad were out here necking and put him down. He'll be out for a little while. He had on his grumpy Luke face before I fed him."

"Poor kid, I think yesterday wore him out."

"I don't blame him; I think he was passed around the room more than the turkey was." Rory laughed. "What do you think of Kirk's girlfriend?"

"Lulu, do we even know she's really his girlfriend and it's not just a cover?" Lorelai asked, Rory shrugged, "She seems like a sweetheart. I don't know what she's doing with Kirk, though."

"Well, she's only been here a few months, give her time." Rory giggled. "I doubt it'll take much longer, what with her also working with him day in and day out."

"No kidding, I thought Kirk's head was going to explode when he found out Luke's replacement was Lulu." Lorelai chuckled. "Although he really hit the roof when he found out she was a better marksman than he is."

"That's not saying much, considering he is always forgetting his weapon." Rory commented.

The younger Danes Dame had put the pieces together a little after the wedding as to the relation between Luke, Kirk, and Taylor. Once she figured it out, and since Jess had figured out the same in the weeks leading up to the fateful wedding day, Lorelai and Luke saw no need to keep the details from her. Rory and Lorelai had both been relieved when Luke told them that he was retiring from the Marshals.

 _It was just after Billy's first birthday, and the last of the party guests had just left the diner leaving Luke, Lorelai, and Rory to clean up. Luke had already cleaned the kitchen while Lorelai had put Billy down upstairs. Rory tossed her a rag as soon as she came down and the two of them set to work wiping down tables as Luke took care of the counters as he explained his reasons for wanting to quit the Marshal Service._

" _It's just getting to be too much for me." Luke sighed. "Not to mention dangerous. All things considered, what happened with Taylor a couple years back was relatively tame compared with some assignments. We have Billy and Rory, and Jess… and I kinda would like to have more kids."_

 _"Really?" Lorelai and Rory asked at the same time, identical looks of pleasant surprise on their faces._

 _"Yeah, maybe we'll get lucky and get another one like Rory." He smiled at his daughter before returning to his rant as he wiped down the counters. "Anyway, I faxed my resignation to Director Greene. I'm going to stay on Taylor until they can send a replacement."_

"I'm just glad he'll be around long enough to see this little one grow up." Lorelai smiled, placing a protective hand over still flat belly. "Speaking of growing up, how's your life going?"

"Good, no complaints." Rory nodded, "I'm really liking school now, not that I didn't before when I was going to Stars Hollow, but Chilton is something else. I love the challenge, and I just found out I can write for the school paper now!"

"You sound excited about that." Lorelai laughed at her daughter's enthusiasm. "It's hard work though, I had friends who were involved with The Franklin back in high school before I had you. They said it's really intense. I'm not trying to discourage you, but I want you going into it with both eyes open."

"I appreciate the warning, Mom, but this is what I want to do." Rory explained, "I want to be a reporter, work the New York Times, maybe do on-air reporting like Katie Couric."

"Well if anyone can do it, you can." Lorelai replied confidently, "But do Mommy a favor and before you come Miss Roving Correspondent 2008, have Daddy teach you some self-defense."

"Alright." Rory nodded, "Hey, is it okay if I hang out with Lane today?"

"Go ahead, Baby Danes is already starting to wipe me out. I think I'll take a quick nap while Billy is down."

"Thanks Mom." Rory kissed her mother's cheek before grabbing her coat and running out the door.

"Guess it's just me and you, Baby." Lorelai sighed, patting her belly before heading up to her bedroom to lay down.

 **December 20, 2000  
Luke's Diner  
0600 hours**

"Lucas, I need to talk to you." Taylor burst into the diner just as Luke unlocked the door.

"What now, Taylor?" Luke asked, it was too damn early to be dealing with the exasperating man, especially since he was no longer getting paid to.

"I have some reservations with my security detail." The man complained.

"Why are you talking to me?" Luke demanded, "I'm not longer on your detail, if you have an issue with Kirk or Lulu, you can take it up with Greene. I can't help you; I'm retired."

The sound of bells caught the attention of both men as the topic of their discussion walked into the door. "Luke, my girlfriend, Lulu, and I would like a table for breakfast please."

"Kirk, just pick any table, it's just the four of us here." Luke gestured indicating the empty dining area, "And you can drop the act, no one really believes that you and Lulu are dating."

"What makes you think that we aren't?" The awkward man challenged.

"The fact you keep referring to her as your girlfriend, Lulu, every time you refer to her is kind of a big indication." Luke rolled his eyes. "You don't hear me constantly referring to Lorelai and 'My wife, Lorelai' or Rory as 'my daughter, Rory' you just sound like you're trying too hard."

"I think it's sweet." Lulu smiled from the seat she had taken, before placing her hand on Kirk's forearm in a silent instruction to take a seat. Kirk turned his focus to her as he sat, sending her a small smile.

"Whatever," Luke huffed, "I'm going to get some coffee for you guys."

"Quarter caf." Kirk called out.

"Yes, Kirk, I know." Luke rolled his eyes as he sat the cup in front of the odd man. "Do any of you want anything to eat? I'm going to be in the kitchen while the three of you have your meeting. I still don't understand why you insist on meeting here."

"This is where we always meet." Kirk responded, looking bewildered.

"You do realize that we were only meeting here because I was the primary agent on the case, right?" Luke reminded him, "I am no longer on the team; you don't have to continue to come here. You could meet at the market, or the school, or anywhere but here."

Kirk just stared at him blankly before Lulu cut in, "Are we really that much of a bother?" She asked sweetly.

"You're not, but sometimes these two idiots," He gestured between Kirk and Taylor, "Can just work my last nerve."

"I promise I'll make sure they behave." Lulu assured him, "Taylor, please come sit, we do need to get this taken care of before any more customers come in." The older man instantly obeyed.

 _Must be her teacher voice._ Luke mused before tuning to head back to the kitchen.

"Oh Luke, before you go," Lulu's soft voice called to him, "Would you mind terribly making me a ham and cheese omelet? I didn't get a chance to eat earlier."

"No problem, Taylor, Kirk, do you want anything?" The men simply shook their heads before turning their attention to the steaming cups of coffee in their hands. Luke was impressed that in the year or so she'd been here she could still both men with a look or a word. He remembered the first day he met her, he knew she was a great undercover agent instantly. She was observant, intelligent, and unassuming. If someone really was looking to figure out who the undercover agents protecting Doose were, no one would suspect her.

 _It was a warm night in late August, most of the town residents had headed home already and Luke was wiping down tables, preparing to close when a short, thin, brunette walked in and introduced herself._

 _"Hello, my name is Louisa Kuschner, I'm looking for Lucas Danes." She smiled at him. Her mannerisms, charm, and voice made her seem like a mix of his mother, wife, and daughter._

 _"That would be me, Miss Kuschner."_

 _"Lulu, please, the only people who call me Miss Kuschner are my students. You may call me Lulu." She offered her hand, which Luke shook, before continuing on. "I suppose I'm your replacement." She finally said._

 _"Oh good, let me lock up and I'll brief you." Luke nodded before striding across the floor in three large steps and locking the door. It only took 45 minutes to fully brief her on all that had happened both before and after Taylor had been placed in the Hollow._

 _A few weeks later, Kirk came barging into the diner, "Luke! Big problem!"_

 _Rolling his eyes at the man, he gave him an impatient look, "Dare I ask what is wrong?"_

 _"It's my partner, Marshal Kuschner." Kirk started, immediately, Luke started to bristle anticipating the man to complain about being partnered with a woman. "She's… she's…"_

 _"She's what, Kirk?" Luke's irritation with the man increasing by the second. "So help me God, if the next words out of your mouth are anything to do with her gender..."_

 _"What?" Kirk looked confused, "I'm not upset that she's a woman; it makes more sense for me to be paired with one, at least we can pretend to date to explain all our time together. Have you seen her jacket?"_

 _"Yeah?" Luke was now confused, he had no idea why Kirk was freaking out, "What of it? She seems very well qualified for the job."_

 _"Did you happen to see her marksmanship qualifications?" Kirk looked meaningfully at the diner owner._

 _"Yeah, she was awarded Expert in both rifle and pistol before she was recruited from the Army," Luke was still confused, "I don't how that is a problem."_

 _"I'm only marksmen ranked!" Kirk bellowed, panic in his voice, "With you, I was okay with it, you were sharp shooter, just one rank above me, but Lulu? Lulu has top ranking!"_

 _"Why do you care?" Luke demanded, "You are very seldom armed, did you ever think that perhaps Greene intentionally paired you with someone more skilled than you are? Perhaps you could learn a thing or two from her. She was a range instructor for years, ask her to go with you to the range and have her help you improve your shot. This is a non-issue Kirk"_

 _Kirk just slumped defeated on to one of the stools. "But what if I've gotten worse?" His voice was so soft; Luke could barely make out the words the man was saying. "She's so pretty Luke, and funny, and smart. I really want her to like me,_ what _if she's my lobster and I blow it."_

 _Luke let out an exasperated sigh partly because Kirk seemed to unconsciously know how to get on his last nerve, and partly because, due to his wife and daughter, he understood the reference whether he wanted to or not. "Kirk, get a grip, you're fake dating for the sake of the assignment." He rolled his eyes, "I doubt she's your lobster, in real life or otherwise. Go talk to Lulu or Director Greene about this. I want nothing to do with anything Taylor Doose or Marshal Service related from here on out. You have a problem, work it out with your partner or your director and leave me out of it."_

For the most part Kirk and Lulu had worked out their issues and the mention of their assignment was rare. This morning was one of those rare exceptions, but since there were no other customers at the moment, he saw no need to kick the trio out. He only came out of the kitchen twice while they were there, once to bring Lulu her breakfast and refill coffees, and once to deliver and process Lulu's bill. He still had some reservations about Kirk working the assignment, but didn't worry overmuch about it. After all, it was no longer his problem, he just hoped Lulu knew what she was doing.


	13. Miss Mimi's Dramatic Enterance

**March 31, 2001  
Danes Household  
1600 hours**

"Dad?" Rory spoke in to the phone, dodging her mother who tried to take the handheld away from her, "You need to come home. I think something's wrong and Mom is refusing to admit it."

"I am not." Lorelai shouted, trying to get her husband to hear her over their daughter.

"I know it's still a few weeks to her due date," Rory explained, "But even the doctor said that we should expect the baby any day now. …Yes I'm sure; her back has been bugging her since yesterday…"

"Of course it has," Lorelai protested, "I'm pregnant!"

"Uh huh, uh huh, okay." Rory spoke into the receiver, "Yeah, I love you too Dad." With that she hung up.

"Was that really necessary?" Lorelai demanded of her teenaged daughter, "You know how panicked your dad gets."

"Well when you tell me that it feels like something is gushing out of you when you sat up after your nap and feeling, and I quote 'like you were on your period,' Dad and I have every right to be concerned," Rory pointed out.

"I could have waited for your dad to end his shift." Lorelai did her best to appear calm, despite feeling a little worried herself. "It's not that big of a deal."

"Yes, it is." Came her husband's deep voice, "And even if it's not, I would prefer to be over cautious and find out later it was nothing than not be cautious enough and lose you, the baby, or worse, both of you."

"Okay, fine," Lorelai grumbled, struggling to stand from the seated position she'd had on the couch before Luke went to assist her.

Helping his wife down the steps and towards the SUV, Luke called a reminder over his shoulder to Rory to keep an eye on her little brother.

Once they were gone, Rory looked at her little brother, sitting looking up at her trying to figure out what was going on. "Hey little man, what're you doing?"

"Playin' baseball!" the nearly four-year-old shouted happily holding up a soft nerf ball.

"I can see that." Rory smiled at him, taking a seat nearby, "Can Sissy play too? Can you roll the ball to me?"

"No," came the child's favorite word before the Nerf ball was tossed to the other side of the room.

"Oh you definitely got Daddy's arm," The girl chuckled at her brother's confused expression.

The rest of the afternoon was spent building with blocks, and soft nerf balls being rolled, tossed, and thrown, all over the place; eventually Rory decided that it would be good to take Billy to the park to help run off all his extra energy. "Okay big guy," She grunted putting her brother in the stroller and strapping him in, "Ready to go?"

"No, Rowy, walk," the boy complained.

"It's too far, Bud." Rory shook her head as she pushed the stroller onto the porch and locked the door behind her. She realized the error of her judgment once she got to the stairs leading down towards the front yard. Rory spent a few minutes pondering how to get the stroller and toddler down when she heard someone approach from behind.

"Hey, need a hand?" Called a boy Rory had seen around town, he was new and went to school with Lane. All the thought she'd ever given him was to notice that he was tall and kind of cute with his hair being the lighter version of the floppy hair of one of her favorite characters in her favorite Friday night program. At Rory's slight nod, the boy lifted the stroller, toddler and all, and carried it down the stairs before setting it gently on the front lawn.

"Thanks," Rory smiled gratefully at him.

"No problem, I do it all the time for my mom." He shrugged, "I'm Dean, by the way. Dean Forrester."

"Rory Danes," She responded, reaching out her hand to shake his offered one. "And this is Billy, I'm keeping an eye on him while Dad and Mom are at the hospital."

"I hope everything's okay." Dean frowned.

"I'm sure it is." Rory said confidently, although inside she was still a little concerned, "Mom wasn't feeling the best and Dad thought it would be good for her to get checked out since she's so close to her due date."

"Brother or sister?" Dean asked.

"We don't know yet," Rory shrugged, pushing the stroller down the drive as Dean followed, "I know Aunt Sookie knows, Mom's baby shower was supposed to be this weekend and she was going to make a pink or blue cake depending on the gender."

"That's kind of cool." The boy nodded as they reached the end of the driveway, "Hey, I gotta get heading home, but I'll see you around."

"Alright, see you later, Dean."

"See ya, Rory. Bye Billy." With that the boy turned and headed in the opposite direction.

The brother and sister had just reached the park when Rory heard her name being called. "Sookie!" Cried Billy gleefully, seeing his godmother hurrying toward the bark chip lined play structure.

"Hey there, Billy Bear!" The woman crouched down to tickle the boy.

"Hey, Sookie." Smiled Rory, "Where's Davy?"

"Oh Jackson's got him, something about never being too young to learn the family business." Sookie shrugged, "Which basically means he's crawling around, poking holes in the dirt while Jackson plants the fall crop. I can't wait for the pumpkins."

"Sounds about right," Rory chuckled at her mom's best friend, "So what are you doing in the park if you are childless?"

"Technically, I'm not childless," Sookie shrugged before noticing Rory's wide eyes, "I guess your mom didn't tell you, then."

"No," Rory shook her head, grinning, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Peaches." Sookie smiled, reveling in the thought of becoming a mom again. A moment later she remembered what had brought her out to the park in the first place. "Oh, Rory, I just heard from your dad, they couldn't get a hold of you at home."

"I must have forgotten my cell; is everything alright?" Rory looked concerned, "What did the doctor say?"

"They've induced your mom," Sookie told her, "Something about her amniotic sack seeping, if it were any further away from the baby's due date, they'd put your mom on bedrest, but since she's due in just a few weeks, they figure she's close enough to being done."

"She?" Rory prompted.

Sookie caught her mistake, "Your mom, of course, is close to being done." She covered, "Either way, they expect the baby to come sometime tonight so your folks asked me to come get ya and swing by the house for your mom's hospital bag."

"Good thing that is the only thing Mom ever was able to pack early." Rory smiled, following Sookie to her mini-van. Sookie strapped Billy into Davy's car seat and headed towards the Danes' home. Rory shot out of the sliding door as soon as they pulled into the driveway and headed up the stairs towards her parents' room to grab the bag. She also swung into Billy's room to grab a change of clothes and some toys and books to keep him occupied while they waited. After grabbing her book bag, a pillow, and some blankets from the hall closet, she headed back out to the running van.

"Going on a trip, Cupcake?" Sookie teased, seeing Rory loading up the back of the vehicle with the bags and adding the baby stuff to the diaper bag.

"Figured it was better to be prepared." Rory explained, hopping back onto the bench seat next to her brother. "Ready to be a big brother?"

"Brover!" Billy squealed, clapping his hands as Sookie pulled out of the drive and headed towards the hospital.

The wait this time around wasn't as long for the family since once Lorelai had been induced, labor progressed quickly. By 2am, Lorelai was allowed to start pushing, at 2:24 Amelia Katherine Danes was brought into the world proving that she was every bit a Gilmore girl and just as vocal as her mother and older sister. Just like every Gilmore girl or Danes Dame, in the case of her mother and sister before her, she had her daddy wrapped around her little finger; there was no question about that. The moment she was placed in Luke's arms she immediately stopped squalling; her deep blue eyes that she shared with her older sister studying him as if trying to memorize everything about him.

"Good morning, Princess Mimi." Her father cooed, "So glad you finally decided to grace us with your presence this morning. Are you always going to be an early bird like your old man or is this going to just be a one-time thing?" He asked as the infant yawned.

"Trust me, Babe," Lorelai smiled up at her husband, "She didn't just wake up; she's a night owl through and through. Although she's probably about ready for a nap now."

"Shouldn't you try to feed her first?" Luke asked, handing the baby to her.

"Couldn't hurt," Lorelai shrugged, adjusting the infant in her arms so that she could undo the snaps at the shoulder of her hospital gown and helped her newborn daughter to latch on. "What I wouldn't give for my flannel right now." She sighed.

"You mean my flannel that you jacked five years ago and never gave back; that flannel?" Luke teased, watching his daughter and wife bonding. He loved watching moments like this between Lorelai and their children. He always thought it was one of the most beautiful things when he used to watch Lorelai nurse their son, now he felt blessed to experience it all over again with their daughter. _A daughter._ Luke thought, amazed that he finally had a daughter that was fully his, he loved Rory and wished every day that he had been the one to help bring her into being, but he was so glad he was there from the very beginning with his second daughter.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lorelai smiled impishly, breaking Luke of his reverie. "Whatcha thinking?"

"It's silly, really," Luke blushed, "I was just thinking about how much I wished I could have been here for Rory like I am for little Mimi."

Lorelai's face softened as she reached her spare hand out to rest on her husband's cheek, "Oh, Babe, you have no idea how much I wish that too and I know Rory feels the same way. If we had all had our choice, you would have been there from the very beginning, balcony and all."

Luke just smiled at her as he watched her gently shift the baby, who had fallen asleep, and re-fastened her nursing gown. He looked down at mother and child for a moment more before telling Lorelai to get some sleep. Sookie had taken Rory and Billy back to her place for the night around nine with plans to bring them back in the morning. Luke knew that this would likely be the only chance for either him or Lorelai to get rest before the family invasion.

He gently took the sleeping infant from his wife's arms and laid her in the isolette that sat on the other side of Lorelai's bed before kissing his now dozing wife on the forehead and settling down on the uncomfortable pull-out bed to try to get some sleep. Luke was awoken a few hours later by little hands poking at his face and little knees in his ribs. He opened his eyes a bit, allowing them time to focus on his young son who was now laying on his chest. "Wake up, Daddy. I wanna see Brover."

Luke chuckled at the boy's excitement, "You don't have a brother, Bud; you have a baby sister."

"Sister," Billy repeated pointing at Rory who was quietly talking to her mother. "Rowy."

"Yeah, buddy, Rory is your sister." Luke wrapped his hand around his son as he shifted into a seated position on the pull out. "But you have a new baby sister now. Her name is Mimi."

"Meany?" Billy attempted the name.

"No, Bud," Luke chuckled, "Say after me. Mi"

"Mi," The boy echoed.

"Good," Luke praised him, "Now again, Mi." The boy echoed a second time. "Now together, Mimi." Billy repeated the name correctly, earning himself praise from his father and mother.

"Speaking of our newest sister," Rory looked between her parents, "Where is she?"

"Right here," Lorelai smiled as she nodded toward the sleeping infant in the isolette.

"Can I hold her?" Rory asked eagerly.

"Sure, go ahead." Luke smiled, "Okay Buddy, Daddy has to get up now." He grunted setting the boy down on the bed beside him before shuffling over to the small en suite bathroom. Once again Lorelai had been given a private room, no doubt thanks to her parents, so their room was about the size of the studio apartment that Luke used to live in before marrying Lorelai.

"Your bag and everything is in there." Rory informed him as he opened the door to the bathroom.

"Thanks, kid." Luke smiled appreciatively at his eldest daughter. After a quick shower he changed into fresh clothes and went out to join his family. He found Lorelai smiling fondly towards the pull out couch where their children were all snuggled together. Rory and Billy were leaned up against the back of the couch portion of the pull-out bed with pillows piled up behind them and their legs under the covers. Amelia was held firmly in Rory's arms as she spoke softly to her younger siblings, introducing them to one another.

"How did I get so lucky?" Lorelai whispered, as Luke stood beside her, watching the three Danes children interact.

"I was just wondering the same thing." Luke smiled before kissing his wife's forehead and smiling proudly at their brood. Lorelai shifted over slightly in her bed so that Luke could sit beside her, she smiled as Luke climbed in and pulled her into his arms, cuddling her as they listened quietly as Rory told her siblings a story.

The room was quiet except for the soft voice if their 15-year-old daughter, "Once upon a time in a land called Hartford, there was a beautiful Queen named Lorelai who lived in a big castle with her mommy and daddy. One day she gave birth to a beautiful daughter, her Princess whom she named for herself but everyone called Rory. While the Queen's mommy and daddy loved her and the Princess very much, the Queen knew in her heart of hearts that she did not belong. Early one morning when the Queen's mommy and daddy were sleeping, the Queen took her daughter to find a new land for them to live. They journeyed for a long time before finally meeting the widowed duchess of the small kingdom of Stars Hollow. The duchess was very nice and loved the Queen and her daughter as if they were her own. Not long after, the Queen and the Princess met the king of the land, King William.

"King William was a kind and fair ruler, and was not afraid to get his hands dirty if it meant helping someone in his kingdom. His Queen had died some years before, but he was madly in love with the duchess, Amelia. He saw her every day when he took his walks around the kingdom and always found time to come by her small castle to visit. It was on one of these visits he met the newly arrived Queen and Princess and fell in love with them as well, after that he considered them his daughter and granddaughter although he already had another daughter and grandson in the far off kingdom of New York.

"The duchess and the king took pity on the poor visiting Queen and her Princess and gave them a small home that the king himself had built. One day not too long after the Queen and Princess had arrived, the king's son, Lucas, returned. He was a soldier in the king's army, the king was very proud of his son and knew he would be a fair and kind ruler just as his father and grandfather before him. The king was glad to see his son return, as he had fallen ill and knew that the day that his son would have to rule was coming soon. He trained his son in the ways of the rulers before him, taught him to be a fair and just man, to defend those in their kingdom. Two years later the king left the kingdom in his son's capable hands and went to his rest."

"I love this story," Lorelai sighed against her husband's shoulder as they listened.

"Me too," Luke smiled and pulled his wife closer.

"Shortly thereafter the son was crowned the New King of Stars Hollow and ruled just as his father had before him, he was kind, and fair, and just to all those within and outside of his borders. One day, he met a fairy Princess who was seated on the steps to his castle. She had been crying, fore her pet caterpillar had just died. The New King Lucas took pity on the fairy Princess, who really wasn't a fairy at all but a regular Princess who loved to pretend to be a fairy, and helped her send her beloved pet to his final rest. The Princess' mother, the Queen, joined them at the funeral and soon became best friends with the New King Lucas.

"Over time the friendship between the New King and the Queen grew deeper and the slowly fell in love, although both were too stubborn to admit it."

"Hey," Lorelai and Luke protested.

"I'm sorry who is telling this story?" Rory asked them cheekily before turning her attention back to her little brother who sat enraptured by the tale, "Now the Princess knew she loved her mother, the Queen, but she had grown to love the New King as well and thought of him as her daddy. One day the Princess got very sick, and the only thing that made her happy was a special dish that only the New King knew how to make."

"What was it?" Billy asked her.

"It was called mashy flatoes, it was a special dish that could only be made by cooking potatoes that grew near the enchanted river in the gardens of the great wizard Jackson." Rory explained, "Under the care of the New King and the Queen the young Princess was soon well again."

"Yay!" Billy clapped.

"Yay indeed." Rory smiled down at her brother, "Now, you must understand that the Princess did have a father, a selfish nave from the kingdom of Hartford, but he left long before the Princess was born. She had never met him in person but only ever communicated with him through a magic mirror. She loved her father, but in her heart she knew that her father only loved himself, and that the New King should have always been her daddy.

"The day came that there was a grand ball to be held in the center of the kingdom for all the young ladies and their fathers. The Princess was overjoyed when her father promised to journey to the kingdom of Stars Hollow to attend the ball with her. Sadly, the Princess' father never learned how to properly keep a promise and never came. Seeing how sad the Princess was, the New King knew he had to do something to make her smile. He quickly put on his best kingly suit and made haste to the ball, he danced with the Princess all night long and ever spared a dance for the Queen whom he secretly loved.

"Tell them about how the New King and the Queen fell in love." Lorelai interjected from her seat in the hospital bed.

"I'm getting there." Rory laughed, "Where was I? Oh yes, the New King was very shy and it took him four whole months to finally ask the Queen out on a date. He stumbled and stammered over his words and finally his invitation came out sounding something like 'Um, Lorelai, if you want to, er if you don't mind, I kinda have this thing that I'm going to next month that I can take a date to. You don't have you, you can say no, but I was wondering if you might, sort of, like to go with me?'" Rory imitated their dad's voice.

"I did not sound like that," Luke protested.

"Sorry, Babe, but you kinda did," Lorelai shrugged. Luke just grumbled quietly to himself as Rory continued with the story.

"Now the ball that the New King had decided to take the beautiful Queen to was a ball for all the solders in the King's army. The New King and Queen danced all night and shared their first kiss."

"Ew," Billy muttered.

"Hush you," Rory responded playfully nudging the little boy, "Two years later, the New King finally proposed to the Queen. A short time after that, the New King's nephew was sent to the kingdom of Stars Hollow to learn how to be a proper Prince. He was handsome and well read, and when the Princess met him they became fast friends. The Prince's name was Jessup and he quickly learned the art of being a Prince and desired to serve as his uncle and grandfather before him in the king's military. The New King could not have been prouder, before the Prince was sent off to be trained as a soldier, the New King and Queen wed. It was a beautiful ceremony; the king had even made a beautiful arch under which he would marry his bride.

"Unfortunately the day was not all so good, fore you see, the wedding was interrupted by the Princess' selfish father reappearing. The Princess' father was not an entirely bad man, but had made some bad choices which led him to work with an evil duke. The evil duke had sworn vengeance upon one of the residents of Stars Hollow who the New King had sworn to defend. A great fight broke out between the New King and his solders and the Princess' father's soldiers. Thankfully none of the men were hurt, although the Princess' father and his solders had hurt their pride. They were taken away to the dungeon while everyone returned to the wedding.

"Some time later the New King was given permission to adopt the young Princess." Rory continued.

"What's 'dopt mean?" Billy asked.

"It means that the Princess needed a new daddy and the New King loved her so much that he wanted her to be his daughter. You see the Princess' father was unable to be a real daddy so the New King chose to adopt her. Shortly thereafter, the Prince left to become a solder and the New King, the beautiful Queen, and their daughter the Princess all moved into the King's castle. A few months later the Queen found out she was to have a little baby, and nine months after that the New King and Queen were blessed with a beautiful baby boy whom they named for his grandfather, William, but everyone just called him Billy."

"Me?" the boy asked pointing at himself.

"Yes, you." Rory smiled down at him, "And nearly four years after that they welcomed a little girl whom they named for the widowed duchess, Amelia. The New King Lucas and Queen Lorelai were very happy with their little family and their children, the Princess Rory, the Prince Billy, and the brand new Princess Mimi loved their parents too. The kingdom was now safe, the royal family were happy, and they remained that way until the end of their days."

The spell of Rory's story was broken by the applause of a few onlookers whom none of the Danes family had noticed come in. Richard and Emily stood side by side beaming at their eldest granddaughter's ability to tell such a long story and keep her little brother interested the entire time. Jackson was smiling and gloating to Sookie about how he had been made a great wizard in the story, and the doctor had enjoyed listening to the tale as well.

"That was very well told," Vikki praised Rory, "You should be a children's writer someday."

Rory blushed, "I want to be a journalist like Katie Couric."

"A very noble goal," Vikki smiled at her, "I just came by to check on your mom and your baby sister, do you mind if I borrow little Mimi for a few moments?"

"Sure," Rory smiled handing the baby off to the woman who gave her a once over before returning her and checking Lorelai.

"Looks like everything is good here, you should be able to be released sometime tomorrow if things keep going the way their going."

"Sounds good, thanks Vikki." Lorelai smiled.

"By the way, Butch, you still owe me an autograph." Vikki teased heading towards the door.

"Ain't ever going to happen Vik, stop asking." Luke chuckled as the doctor shrugged and walked out the door.

The rest of the morning was spent introducing Mimi to the rest of her adoring public as she was passed amongst family and friends. The only family member who was unable to attend was her cousin, Jess who was finishing up his first year at the Naval Academy.


	14. September 11 - Jess

**September 11, 2001  
USNA Campus  
1100 hours**

Jess had been pacing the foot bridge that spanned Dorsey Creek between the Library and Hospital point since they had gotten the report of the first airliner struck the North Tower and classes had been called off for the day. He didn't know why but he always seemed to think clearer on bridges whether it was the one he was standing on or the one back in the little town he'd lived in with his uncle for a few months seven years ago. However, neither the movement of his legs carrying him over the path nor the movement of the water that flowed from the Severn River and intersected the Naval Academy campus was doing anything to soothe his weary soul. He had never felt so helpless in his entire life. Not when his mother had overdosed for the first time when he was seven, not when he had to be admitted to the hospital after one of Liz's boyfriends of the week had beat him within an inch of his life, not even when he'd been sent to live with his uncle who he hadn't seen in nearly a decade when Liz had been imprisoned.

Nearly an hour ago one of the plebes, the honorary factotum of the Bravo Company, had found him pacing along the bridge and informed him that one more casualty had been added to the list of targets, The Pentagon. Jess simply thanked him and continued to pace as the wheels in his head continued to spin, begging to find traction. It wasn't until the same plebe had returned 40 minutes later to inform him that both World Trade Center towers had fallen, the south had succumb to structural damage first followed just 29 short minutes later by its sister to the north. It was all Jess could do to stay upright; no matter how far or long he'd been away the city was his home, he'd seen those towers nearly every day of his life until he'd been sent to the Hollow. He couldn't imagine the skyline without the glass and steel beacons being a part of it. As soon as the plebe left, he leaned over the side rail of the bridge, trying to look casual as his knees weakened and his insides rolled, threatening to remind him of the taste of the breakfast he'd eaten just a few short hours before.

He stood there for a moment, letting the rhythm of the tide wash over him, praying for its healing balm to soothe the ache in his heart. He closed his eyes as his heart synchronized with the sound of the waves rolling beneath his feet. It almost seemed like a sick joke, the calm of the waves in opposition to the turmoil rolling in each and every American citizen the world over. He knew the time to sit back was long gone; he had to do something, with a decisive nod to himself, he pushed back from the rail and set off towards the Commandant's office with a determined pace.

Normally, it would have taken him 20 minutes to cross the large campus, but it seemed like no time had passed at all before he was standing, cover tucked formally under his left arm, before the stern woman who sat sentinel at the secretary's desk. Jess did his best to not shift between his feet nervously as the older woman's cold gaze drifted over him in stern appraisal from his close-cropped dark hair the khaki shirt and tie to his dark olive jacket and pants he wore before settling on the black shoes on his feet. Raising her blue-grey steel eyes to his own deep ember she quirked an eye brow. "Are you expected?"

"No, Ma'am," Jess responded with just a slight, nearly imperceptible shake of his head, "However, I would like a few moment of the Commandant's time, if he'll see me."

The woman gave no response other than to lift the receiver of the antiquated black phone and speak into the hand set so softly that Jess had to strain to hear her side of the conversation. Moments later she turned back to him, "Cadet, the Commandant will see you now."

"Thank you, Ma'am" He nodded and headed towards the large double oak doors with golden handles. He shot her one more, quick glance and one of his patented half-smiles before disappearing into the dark office.

Quietly closing the door behind him with a soft _snick_ when the latch engaged, Jess turned and saluted the superior officer. The Commandant returned the gesture and indicated for Jess to approach "Cadet, considering all that is occurring today, I suggest you speak fast and make this worth my time."

"Yes, Sir," Jess nodded. "Do I have your permission to speak freely?"

At the commandant's silent acquiescence, Jess proceeded. "The events of this morning is the very reason that I came to you, sir. I know the events that have occurred thus far today have tilted the worlds of the American people - that includes the staff and students of this Academy. I don't know about anyone else here, but I know for me I can't abide sitting back and doing nothing. Not only as a future member of the armed services, but as an American, a New Englander, and one who called New York City his home for 14 years." The commandant's quirked eyebrow caused Jess to pause a moment.

"I don't know if there is more to come or if what our country has endured this morning will be the end of it, all I know is that I have to do something. I know that New York is too far away for us to make a difference, and I heard that emergency responders from all over New England have likely swarmed the city to help. I wouldn't be surprised if the volunteer fire brigade from my uncles little one stop-light town has already rallied and left to offer what assistance they can. Even if we were to go, it would do little more than increase the chaos and I think the city has endured enough without us showing up. However, I would like to suggest an alternate way for us to aid in the effort."

"I'm listening," The old Sailor's gruff voice and weathered sea green eyes indicated interest. "What do you propose we do?"

"I suggest we send a group of volunteers to the Pentagon, preferably those of us who have already signed our commissioning paperwork. I'm not suggesting including plebes on this, unless you see fit to do so, sir."

"Just who do you suggest would lead this brigade of volunteer midshipmen?" The commandant asked.

"Perhaps one of the staff or one of the senior cadets, Sir." Jess responded, his dark eyes meeting the stormy eyes of the commandant.

"You are a Cadet Major, are you not?"

"Yes, Sir." Jess nodded, "That is the rank that I was advanced into at the beginning of the current semester, Sir."

"Then I believe that you are qualified to lead this venture of yours. I will make some calls, and give you the name of your temporary commanding officer. You may take up to 75 Midshipmen and Marine Cadets, but I agree that this must be completely voluntary and that the recruits are made aware that you will be heading into a potentially dangerous situation." The commandant advised, "I do agree that plebes should not be involved in this venture of yours. Are you up to the task, Mariano?"

"Yes, Sir." Jess nodded, punctuating the succinct reply, "I would not be fit to wear the uniform where I not, Sir."

"Don't get cocky, son." The commandant's soft reprimand quieted him. "Return in three hours' time; that should give me enough time to connect with a friend up there who owes me more than a few favors. It should also give you time to rally your troops. You are dismissed."

Jess nodded his understanding before raising his hand to his brow in salute, which was again returned by the senior officer, before he executed a sharp heel turn and exited the dark paneled office. Knowing he was on a time limit, he quickly made his way to the dining hall where most of the student body would be congregated as lunch would be served soon. Luckily for him, the gossip mill on campus was almost worse than the one in Stars Hollow, it only took him asking a few cadets he felt would be up to the task for talk to start to spread around the room. Less than an hour later, he had his team assembled and was having to turn away more with the promise that he would call on them if he was in need of back up.

Three hours, exactly, from the time he had left, he and two of the Cadet Captains he had brought on, were standing outside the large oak doors to the commandant's office. Upon their approach, the old secretary had simply nodded in acknowledgement for their purpose there and quietly ducked through the large paneled doors. A moment later, and faster than any of the young men would have expected her to move, she returned with a large manila envelope. "Cadet Major Mariano?"

"That would be me, Ma'am." Jess stepped forward.

"These are your orders, within you will find your Officer in Command's information as well as your lodging and travel information." The older woman's stern face turned to each of the three young men, slowly giving each a pointed look. "I have further orders for you." She said in a no-nonsense manner, "You are to return in one piece, I will not accept any of my cadets to go missing or seriously injured on my watch, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Ma'am" The men chorused.

"Good, now get out of here, I'm sick of the sight of you." The secretary waved them off before taking her seat, "One more thing boys; I'm so damn proud of you all. Now get."

The young men shared a knowing smirk amongst themselves and left, they all shared the same excitement and trepidation for what they would find once they reached the government building. This would be the first time they would be faced with the reality of the situation rather than just hearing it over the radio and news feeds that had been running on a loop throughout the campus since the first strike some seven hours before.

Marching orders in hand, Jess sent each of his recruits to pack for the trip as he went to do the same. It seemed to take forever, but was only just a matter of minutes to toss his fatigues, a few extra shirts, toiletries, and a few other required items in his duffel. He paused a moment and looked thoughtfully at the contents of his footlocker before grabbing a few books from the large box. From between the pages of a copy of _Oliver Twist_ that Rory had sent him for his birthday last year came a small 2X3 piece of thick, glossy, paper.

On one side was a picture of Rory in her Chilton uniform, on the other side was a short message in her familiar script. _Dodger, "Friends are the family you choose" (Jess C. Scott). You have been my confidant, my ally, and at times my greatest foe; I am lucky to have you as both friend and family. – Rory_

He smiled gently back at the girl's picture before tucking it into one of the card slots in wallet next to the picture of his uncle's family. He quickly slid the wallet back into his pocket and, fastening the bag closed, slung his duffel over his shoulder and headed out to meet his team at the line of busses that had been arranged for their use while they were in DC. The troops had been given three weeks' time to give their assistance, provided that all involved stayed current in their studies.

When approached the loading area, he saw the group huddled awaiting his orders, "Alright men; load up!" He called out, setting off a chain event of bags being tossed into the below-deck storage areas of the large dark blue buses with "U.S. Naval Academy" painted on the side in yellow before the members boarded and claimed their seats for the drive to the nation's capital. From the time of the first order to the moment the last cadet claimed his seat, it was less than 10 minutes until the buses rolled out.

The trip normally should have taken just over 45 minutes to complete, however due to the high DEFCON alert the closer they got to their journey's end, the more roadblocks they had to stop at, which prolonged the usually quick time to nearly three hours to complete. Luckily, their point of contact, Major Hogue, was still waiting for them at the hotel that had been arranged for them when they arrived.

Jess placed his cover on his head while he called orders for the men to unload and await further instructions before approaching the officer and saluted. Major Hogue returned the gesture and quirked an eye brow towards the cadet. "Cadet Major Mariano, I presume?"

"Yes, sir." Jess replied succinctly.

"I hear tell that this operation was all your idea, is that right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Impressive, you are a lot like your uncle, think well on your feet." The major nodded, "We were at the Academy together; I met your granddad a few times too. You look just like him."

"Er, thank you, Sir," Jess looked at him curiously not knowing what to do with the information.

"Relax, Cadet, I was only being friendly," The Major chuckled, patting Jess' shoulder, "I'll leave you and your troops to check in and get some dinner, I expect to see the lot of you at 0830 hours, your busses will be waiting at 0730 to pick you up. The pentagon is only a few miles away, but with the elevated threat level there are roadblocks on top of roadblocks in increasing number the closer you get to the federal buildings. An hour should give you enough time to get there. Now I don't know what all we will find there once we start, and I must warn you there is a very high probability you may find someone and I cannot guarantee the state they will be in."

"I understand." Jess nodded firmly. "We are all aware that there were casualties and are prepared to come face-to-face with that reality. In all honesty, Sir, we just want to do what we can, better than sitting around the Academy doing nothing and wishing we had."

"Understandable," The major nodded, "Looks like your Cadet Captain has returned, best get the troops settled."

"Yes sir," Jess nodded, saluting the Major before turning on his heel and proceeding to call out bunk assignments. It had been a long day and the next few weeks were shaping up to be just as long. Jess gave a sigh of relief once he had checked into his room and his roommate, best friend, and second in command, Matthew Wentworth had ducked into the bathroom a few moments ago.

When he heard the sound of water running in the shower, Jess pulled out a worn leather journal that his Uncle had given him two years before as a Christmas gift. His gruff uncle had let it slip that the journal had been Rory's idea to get the item. Jess smiled softly at the memory as he brought pen to paper and started to write. He had filled out numerous journals like this one since he started at the Marine Academy in Texas some seven years before. He still hadn't figured out the purpose of the journals, whether just observations on life, unsent letters (of which there were more than a few, mostly written to Rory), or if they were meant to hold a story, either way, he felt the tension of the day slowly ebb away as the pen scratched along the paper surface. He wrote fast and quickly shut the volume when he heard the water cut off, he had barely shoved the book into his bag when Matthew came out, uniform in hand and wearing the shorts and t-shirt they usually wore for PT.

"I don't know about you, Mariano, but I'm exhausted, I don't even think I can eat now." Matt sighed flopping down on the opposite bed, "I think I'm going to crash, I'll catch up with you in the morning." With no more explanation and not so much as a "good night" he drifted off to sleep. Jess watched him a few more moments before pulling out the old book to resume his writing for the night. Before he knew it, his own eyes were drooping heavily. He quickly changed out of the uniform he'd traveled in and exchanged it for shorts and a t-shirt like Matt. He knew it was too late to call Rory now, he'd have to try to get a hold of her before she took off for school the next day, if for no other reason but to hear her voice on the machine.


	15. September 11 - Rory

**September 11, 2001  
Chilton Preparatory  
Hartford, CT  
0915 hours**

"May I have your attention please," The headmaster's voice through the speaker cut off Mr. Medina's lecture on _Taming of the Shrew_ , "All staff and students are to report to the auditorium, immediately."

Rory looked around at her classmates trying to judge if anyone knew what was going on, everyone looked perplexed as to the reason for the sudden assembly. Even Mr. Medina was having a hard time covering his surprise. "You heard Headmaster Charleston, please make your way in an organized manner to the auditorium. We will resume our discussion about the verbal sparring of Kate and Petruchio after the assembly."

Almost as if on cue, as soon as the students stepped into the hall way, every phone and pager in the building starting buzzing and ringing from every pocket and book bag. Half way through the chorus of _Walk Like and Egyptian_ Rory answered her mother's call. "Mom?"

"Rory, thank God," Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her eldest daughter's voice. "She's okay," Rory heard her speak to someone nearby.

"Rory?" Luke snatched the phone from his wife's hand, "How you doing princess?"

"I'm fine, but starting to get confused," Rory commented, "You two never call me at school, well okay, Mom sometimes does, but never you or both of you at the same time. What's going on? Are Grandma and Grandpa alright?"

"So far as we know," Luke sighed, running his fingers through his hair before replacing his worn baseball cap back on his head. "We just wanted to make sure you're alright."

"Which has been established," Rory was starting to get annoyed and worried at the evasive comments coming from her parents. "We were just called into an assembly when everyone's phones started going off. What is going on Dad? I'm starting to get freaked out."

She heard Luke take a deep, calming breath, "Daddy?" Rory asked, starting to panic.

"There was a suspected terrorist attack on New York." Luke's words tumbled out rivaling that of his wife's own speech, "An American Airlines flight was hijacked and just flew straight into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. About 15 minutes ago a hijacked United flight did the same to the South Tower."

"Oh my God," Her bewilderment evident in her voice, suddenly a face popped into her head, "Jess, have you heard from Jess?"

"No, at least not yet, Babe." Lorelai's voice came through the phone, clearly at some point her phone had been switched to speaker so both she and Luke could speak to their daughter.

"Cadets are not allowed to carry mobile phones or pagers when in class," Luke added, "However I did speak with the commandant, Jess is on campus somewhere, he hasn't been signed out since he returned to school after Independence Day."

"What about Liz?" Rory probed as she allowed herself to be swept up in the sea of students heading towards the school's auditorium.

"She's safe, her petition for early release was supposed to be today." Luke informed her, "It's likely not going to happen now. Probably a good thing, the penitentiary is on the other side of the state from the City. As many issues the two of us have had, she's still my baby sister and I don't want any harm to come to her."

"Of course you don't, Babe," Rory heard her mother comfort Luke, she could almost see the woman's calming hand resting on Luke's strong forearm as if holding him in place while her peace flowed over and around them. "The important thing is that our family is safe."

"What about Billy and Mimi?"

"Lulu, Babette, and Patty have them and all the children sequestered at the elementary school playing games. We're hoping to protect them from the worst of it while the grownups try to get a hold of our wayward children and family who are closer to New York."

As Rory entered the auditorium and took her seat, she heard a muffled report over the radio in the diner followed by Luke's voice swearing a blue streak a mile wide. "Dad? What's going on?"

"A plane just hit the Pentagon."

Rory couldn't help it, a tear slid down her cheek as Luke's words sunk in. "That's really close to the Academy, isn't it?" Silence met her question, "Daddy, please, don't try to protect me, I can take it. If I'm going to be a reporter, I'm going to have to develop a thick skin when in dangerous situations. Might as well start now."

"Yes," Luke's voice husked, "It's about 45 minutes away. It's too close, it's too damn close." The latter he spoke almost to himself.

Headmaster Charleston stepped out on stage to inform the student body and staff as to the events even though by now nearly everyone had heard. "Mom, Dad, I got to go, the assembly is about to start. I love you."

"We love you too, Sweets," Lorelai responded, "One of us will be there in about a half hour to pick you up from school. Even if they don't release you for the day, I'd feel much better if I had you close enough to reach out and touch you. Okay?"

"Okay, hopefully the assembly will be over by then." Rory nodded.

"Don't use your phone unless it's an emergency," Luke spoke, "More than likely cell service is going to be blocked up for a good long time until people start hearing from their families. We were lucky to get a hold of you when we did. I love you, Kiddo, we'll see you soon."

"Love you too, Daddy." Rory smiled gently, the expression in stark contrast to the worry and fear that was etched on her features from not knowing if Jess was safe or not. She quietly hung up the phone and listened intently as the headmaster outlined the day's events thus far. Due to their close proximity to New York City, the school board had made the decision to cancel classes for the rest of the day and allow parents to pick up their children. Whomever didn't have a guardian or employee to retrieve them would have to stay behind.

Rory looked over at Paris who slumped in her chair, she felt bad for her fair-weather friend. The girl's parents had divorced over the summer and her father, whom she lived with, was constantly away on business. "I guess I'm going to have to try to get a hold of Nanny. Lord knows no one here knows enough Portuguese to tell her to come get me."

"If you can't get a hold of her, I'm sure my folks won't mind you coming home with us." Rory attempted to comfort her friend, "I know I could use the company of my friends right now, especially since…"

"Jess?" Paris cut her off in her typical straight forward fashion. "For cousins you two are awful close."

"He's my best friend," Rory shrugged. "His school is really close to the pentagon; my dad is worried."

"He's not the only one." Paris' eyes looked straight through Rory, who sat subconsciously biting her lip.

"You're right." Rory sighed, "I can't help it; I care about him. We got along fine when we first met, and we've been writing back and forth for the past six years. Did I ever tell you that he stole my copy of Howl last Christmas?"

"Isn't that frowned upon?" Paris frowned, "It's at the very least an honor code violation, I'm sure."

"Technically yes, but I didn't report him." Rory shrugged, "He sent it back just before Summer Break. He'd written margin notes all through it. He also had put post-it notes all over one of the poems saying it was too explicit for me to read until I was at least 18."

The Headmaster had released them and they headed towards the drop off/pick up area of the school as they continued their conversation. "But hadn't you read it already?"

"Yeah," Rory chuckled, "I thought it was sweet though that he wanted to protect my innocence."

"Isn't it FrankenDean's job to protect your innocence?" Paris challenged.

Rory just shrugged, "Yeah, but he's been getting really clingy lately. I don't know what his deal is."

The girls sat quietly on a bench as they waited for Lorelai to pick them up, Paris had gotten a hold of Nanny and told her that she would be with the Danes' until after school the next day. While she may not have explicitly said it, and anyone would have been surprised to know it, but Paris really did have a heart under her seemingly cold surface. The fact that she had removed herself from the older woman's sphere of concern was proof of that. With Paris being taken care of, Nanny could turn her focus to her own, much younger, brood of children.

"That's a nice thing you did, Paris." Rory remarked softly.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Paris retorted as Lorelai's SUV pulled up, "Looks like your mom's here."

Rory knew she wasn't going to get a response from her friend but smiled softly at the girl's back as they climbed in to the truck. "Hey Mom, you sure it's okay for Paris to stay with us?"

"Oh yeah, it's fine." Lorelai nodded as she glanced in the rearview mirror simultaneously checking to see that the girls had strapped themselves in and that there were no cars trying to pull out from behind them. "Paris, you know you can stay with us until your dad gets home, right? We don't mind having you."

"Thank you Mrs. Danes." Paris nodded, "I'll think about it."

The half hour ride back to Stars Hollow was relatively quiet, none of the women knowing what to say beyond the occasional pleasantries. The diner was likewise quiet when they arrived, despite being nearly full. Rory, Paris, and Lorelai took seats at the last small table available as Luke brought out three large, steaming, cups of coffee and set them down in front of them.

"Thanks, Babe." Lorelai smiled gently at her husband who leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips before going to check on his other customers.

Satisfied that everyone was fine for the moment, he took a seat with his family and Paris. "I still haven't heard from Jess." He commented, trying not to sound worried.

"We will," Lorelai nodded confidently. "I'm sure the phones are just tied up."

As if to prove her point, the phone in the diner began to ring. Caesar was closer and answered before calling out to Luke that the caller had requested him. Luke nearly leaped over the counter for the phone before pressing it to his ear. He nodded and grunted a few times before hanging up. A mix of concern and pride washing over his face as he made his way back to the table.

"That was Commandant Mitchell," Luke started, "Jess is fine, at least for now."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Lorelai demanded, her voice not quite as strong as the emotions flashing across her face.

"It means that my idiot nephew has not only suggested, but agreed to lead a volunteer team of cadets in helping with clean up and recovery at the Pentagon." Luke sighed, "I'm so damn proud of him, but damn it, if he goes and gets himself killed, I swear to God I will do down there and kill him again."

"You wouldn't be alone." Rory nodded, placing a hand on Luke's arm.

"Oh yes I would," Luke huffed, "There is no way I'm letting you anywhere near DC, New York, or even Shanksville –wherever the Hell that is- anytime in the near future. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir." Rory murmured, knowing it was best to not push the issue. The group sat quietly for a few more moments before a lightbulb went off in her head, looking between Luke and Paris, an idea started to form in her head. "Would it be okay if I wrote about it? For the school paper, I mean."

Paris lit up, excited that they would have something to do other than to sit on their hands for the remainder of the day. "You could write about your cousin going to the Pentagon to help out. Everyone is going to be glued to the radio, TV, internet, and newspapers so they'll know all about what's going on right now. I think taking it from that other angle would be interesting." She agreed.

"No, absolutely not." Luke said. "Did I not just get done telling you that you are not going to DC?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't be going to DC." Rory pointed out, "I could just talk over the phone with Jess or write to him and ask him to detail what all is going on down there." Another idea started to form in her head, "Maybe I could ask him to have everyone who is going with him to write their experiences down and I can use that."

Luke just stared dumbly at his daughter, not knowing what to say.

"I think that would be an interesting idea," Lorelai broke in, "But don't be too upset if they can't write to you, we don't know how bad things are there or if they'll have the time or energy to write to you about what is going on."

Rory just nodded quietly. Eventually the group grew tired of just sitting around the diner, Luke told everyone to head home and closed up for the remainder of the day before they went and collected the youngest two Danes children from the Elementary school and headed home.

As the night continued, Rory hoped that Jess would at least call, but as it drew nearer to her normal bed time, she slowly realized that she would not be hearing from him that night. The morning came too soon and took too long all at once. Rory had spent the night tossing and turning in her concern not only for Jess but for all the victims of the previous day's events. She must had drifted off at some point because the sun was soon making its presence known behind her shades. Looking at the clock, she found it was 6am, she nudged Paris who was sleeping on a trundle bed nearby. "We got to get ready for school." She whispered before heading towards the bathroom to take a quick shower.

Lorelai had washed and ironed both girls' uniforms the night before and had hung them up in the bathroom for them. Just as Rory was pulling up her hair, the house phone rang. "Rory," Luke's voice called through the door. "You have a phone call; it's Jess."

"Jess?" She gasped, whipping open the door to a surprised looking Luke who handed her the phone. "Hey Dodger, so you really do know how to work a phone."

"Goes both ways, you know." Jess chuckled, "I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. I figured you'd be worried when you heard about the plane hitting the Pentagon."

"You're right, I am worried." Rory sighed, flopping down onto the couch, "I also know you and a bunch of your buddies have taken it upon yourselves to go help out there. I expect eye witness reports, young man."

"What are you, writing a story or something?"

"Yes," Rory replied smartly, "If you guys have time, I would like it if you guys could write down what you're seeing, what you're doing, and your motivation, that kind of stuff."

It was Jess' turn to sigh, "I guess I could ask, but I don't know if you'll get much out of them."

"Let me be the judge of that," Rory shrugged, "There's no harm in asking."

Jess knew he wasn't going to win, when Rory got in her head to do a story, she was like a dog with a bone. He sighed, "Fine, I'll ask. Happy now?"

"Yep!" Rory responded cheerfully, "I gotta go grab breakfast before Mom takes Paris and me to school."

"Okay, have a good day Cuz." Jess teased.

"You too, stay safe, Dodger." Rory replied in a soft but serious tone.

"I will." With that the call was disconnected.


	16. Drama, Drama, Drama

**January 6, 2003  
Chilton Preparatory Academy  
0930 hours**

The uniformed students at Chilton filed quickly into their seats in Max Medina's British Literature class. It seemed as if the same core group of students were together every semester, with few others joining them. This year the core group all sat along the west wall near the windows. Madeline, Louise, Paris, Rory, and Tristan. Although there were 10 other students in the class, it seemed like these five were always in the English class that Mr. Medina taught.

He loved his students, and was good at his job. Mr. Medina's passion for literature inspired and motivated his students, and most of them enjoyed his classes. Most of the parents liked him too, although there was one with startling blue eyes and hair the color of mahogany that had caught his attention a couple years before. He normally took the stance of parents being off limits, but there was just something about the woman that mesmerized him. She'd shown up by herself for Parents Night, and he'd asked her to stay back after the other parents had exited.

She was witty, funny, and surprisingly intelligent, although he knew he shouldn't have been surprised, considering who her daughter was. He was just about to ask her out when a large man with eyes the color of arctic ice, and hair a few shades lighter than the woman's; he was clad in jeans and a plaid shirt. He'd quickly kissed her on the cheek, apologizing for his tardiness, something to do with a Doose, whatever that was. It was at that moment that Max had noticed the rings on their fingers, one of hers having a rather impressive diamond which was bracketed by two pink tourmaline stones. He was a little shocked he'd missed it, usually that was one of the first things he checked before attempting to engage a woman.

The woman returned her gaze to him and introduced the man who had just arrived as her husband. The men shook hands before the couple left, talking about their daughter, Rory, and their other children. Max had never been so embarrassed in his life, it was a little awkward for him the remainder of the year due in part to the fact the woman wound up signing onto the PTA board which he was overseeing, and partly because her daughter had her eyes. Eventually, he got over it, assuming that since the obviously muscular man hadn't come back to pummel him, either didn't know or was told to leave it be, either way Max was grateful that nothing more came of that night.

"Good morning, class, and welcome back to school." He smiled at his students, allowing the memory to fade from his mind's eye. "I trust you all had an enjoyable Winter break, and congratulations to making halfway through your senior year. This semester, we will be further familiarizing ourselves with the works of the great Bard, William Shakespeare."

Some of the class groaned, others looked excited, still others apathetic, nothing terribly surprising in their reactions, it was the same every year when he taught this class. Grabbing a stack of books from his desk he instructed each row to take one and pass the rest on. As the books were being distributed, he continued to speak, "We are going to study one of the most well-known plays he wrote, Romeo and Juliet. On March 14th we will be performing the play. I will be dividing you and my other classes into groups of 5, each of group will perform an act from the play. Each group will be responsible for deciding for themselves who will play each part and who will direct.

"It is up to you if you wish to play the act straight or use your own unique vision." He looked over the class, pleased to find all rows held a mix of young men and women. Going row by row, he assigned the students to their acts. "Okay now that everyone knows what they are doing, are there any questions?" Hearing none, he released the students to work in their groups. As each group started to organize and divvy up parts, he was not surprised to find that Paris had unilaterally decided to be the director for the Act 5 group and had already designated Rory to play Juliet and Tristin to play Romeo. Max couldn't help but chuckle at the wary look Rory was giving Tristan. The boy had been relentlessly dogging her since she first transferred to the school five years before. Max didn't blame him; the girl was just as pretty as her mother.

The rest of the class was spent rehearsing lines and establishing rehearsal schedules. A couple groups had decided just to make the most of their in-class project time, and others decided (or in Paris' groups case were ordered) to practice outside of class as well. "We need a large enough space to rehearse the play, preferably with adult supervision." He'd overheard Paris' demanding voice, "My dad is at some conference so my place it out."

"My dad's out of town, too." Madeline added, "Mom is with her tennis pro all week, so you know what that means."

"We can use my place," Tristin offered.

"That den of iniquity, pass." Paris rolled her eyes.

"Maybe…" Louise spoke softly.

"Sing out Louise," Paris huffed impatiently, "Do you know someplace we could meet?"

"I used to take dance lessons in a small town not too far from here." She shrugged, "The owner is some retired off-Broadway starlet. I bet if we ask, she'll let us use the studio."

"Oh no," Rory moaned.

"Well where is this place?" Paris demanded.

"Stars Hollow." Louise provided.

"No, no, no, no, no," Rory continued, "This can't be happening."

"Danes," Paris' voice had turned dangerously sweet, " _You_ live in Stars Hollow. Do you know this venue?"

"Miss Patty's" Rory sighed, defeated, "But I beg you please don't. I want to keep my school and home life separate and there's no way I'll be able to do that if we rehearse there."

"Too late." Louise pointed toward Paris who had her cellphone pressed to her ear having already called directory assistance and been connected through to the studio.

"May I please speak to Patricia LaCosta?" Paris could be heard asking followed by some negotiations before the phone was flipped shut and dropped back in her blazer pocket. "Done, we will have rehearsals Tuesday and Thursday nights starting tomorrow from 3pm to 5:30pm."

"I wish to officially apologize in advance." Rory shook her head, "You'll understand when you get there."

 **March 9, 2003  
Miss Patty's Dance studio  
1605 hours**

It was the last week of rehearsals before their final performance that Friday, and they were doing fairly well with almost everything. Lorelai had stopped by one afternoon and took everyone's measurements, so everyone's costumes were finished, all the lines had been rehearsed, and blocking had been set, the only thing that hadn't been rehearsed was the kiss at the end of Romeo's last line.

It wasn't that Tristan wasn't willing to practice, _"Come on, Mary, it's just a little kiss,"_ he'd insisted at their first rehearsal but Rory had steadfastly declined. Her resistance was only aided by the fact her boyfriend had insisted on lurking in the studio during rehearsals, staring menacingly at Tristan as his eyes flashed green.

"…and then we kiss." Rory said from her prone position on a table before sitting up. She'd caught Dean's eye, and he was looking ready to kill every time Tristan got anywhere near enough to kiss her.

"Danes, you have to get over whatever is preventing you from finishing out the scene." Paris huffed, exasperated. Rory sometimes couldn't help but giggle when Paris got like this; there were too many similarities between the blonde and Rory's own dad when the director lost her patience. Looking between Rory and the boy who stood in the corner, arms crossed in front of him, muscles tensed and ready to strike, she rolled her eyes. "Listen FrankenDean, you either need to leave or stop staring at my male lead like you want to pummel him for playing his part."

Dean did not respond, only kept staring daggers at Tristin, Rory was even starting to get frustrated at his behavior. He'd been growing gradually more jealous since over the last year what had once seemed sweetly protective was now stiflingly controlling; it had really gone on long enough. "Dean, it's not even a real kiss." Rory insisted.

"Not a real kiss?" He asked sarcastically, "Tell me, does this 'not a real kiss' involve his lips touching yours?"

"I should hope so," Tristin chuckled under his breath.

"Shut up, Tristin," Rory huffed at him before turning back to her boyfriend, "Yes, his lips will very likely touch mine. The venue is very small so we can't get way with a stage kiss, but it won't mean anything. Not like when we kiss."

"If you kiss him, we're done." Dean laid out his ultimatum.

"Dean, be reasonable," Rory insisted, secretly a little shocked she was not concerned over her relationship potentially ending over this, "If it weren't required for my grade, I would not be doing this."

"Can't one of the other girls play Juliette?" Dean asked. "What about Paris?"

"Not now, not three days from the show." Rory shook her head. "Besides they already have their roles and Paris is directing. I know this bothers you, but you don't have to watch. You have to trust me when I tell you he means nothing to me." _Kind of like you don't mean anything to me anymore._ Rory was a little surprised at the thought that raced through hear head.

"My deal still stands; kiss him and we're through." Dean's eyes had grown hard and cold as he stared down at her.

"I guess we're over." Rory shook her head, "Goodbye Dean."

Dean just shook his head as he turned and headed toward the barn door in the side of the building. Stopping only once, to punch Tristin square in the eye, before storming down the street.

"That Dean kid sure packs a punch." Tristin tried to make light of the blow he'd just received, "So Mare, you wanna try that kiss?"

"I don't think so," Rory shook her head, "However we should probably get you over to my dad's place so we can get some ice on that eye."

"I agree," Paris nodded, "We should make sure your eye is dealt with first, we can address the kiss at our next rehearsal."

With that decided, the teens collected their bags and headed over to Luke's Diner for sodas and a bag of ice for Tristin. Two days later, the rehearsal went much faster without Dean's looming presence, they even were able to practice the kiss. Rory was glad that Tristin was a gentleman about the whole thing and didn't give her more than a soft brush on her lips.

The night of the show, their scene was named one of the best by the other students, even though the group had decided to play it straight. Luke, Lorelai, Jackson, Sookie, and Lane clapped and praised the performance emphatically. Lorelai and Luke telling Rory how proud they were of her. The grandparents were also there, Richard and Emily couldn't help pointing out to the society parents and grandparents in the audience who their granddaughter was and how smart she was. Rory was just glad that the assignment, and the drama that came with it was finally over.


	17. Dust Jackets and Debs

**March 17** **th** **, 2003  
Gilmore Mansion  
1435 hours**

The Friday after the performance of Romeo and Juliette, Richard told Rory that he'd recently finished a very interesting book. He told her that it was on his desk in the study and that she should stop by after school sometime to pick it up. Knowing that, with the exception of the unfortunate obsession with Hemmingway that her grandfather and Jess shared, she and her grandfather had similar literary interests she decided to head over to her grandparents' house after school that Monday.

She'd borrowed the jeep from her mom, since it was rarely used anymore since Billy and Mimi had come along, and quickly made her way to the Gilmore home after school was let out for the day. Knowing her grandfather worked during the day, and her grandmother usually had DAR meetings in the afternoons, she expected to only see the maid when she'd arrived. As it turned out, she hadn't realized that Emily had invited her DAR ladies to have their meeting over tea in her garden that day.

Rory hadn't seen the women when she'd gone into the study, but apparently they'd seen her because when she was heading out, she heard her grandmother's voice calling her. "Rory darling, is that you?"

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the French doors that lead to the patio were open revealing about 15 women enjoying the unseasonably warm March day and sipping tea on the veranda. "Hi Grandma, I didn't know you had guests." She apologized walking toward the gaggle of women, "I'll just be on my way. Sorry."

"No stay," Emily insisted, "You don't any anywhere to be right now, do you?"

"I was planning on getting a start on my homework, and I have an article for The Franklin I need to get typed up."

"Surely you can spare 20 minutes for your grandmother." Emily laid on the Gilmore guilt.

"Oh, she looks just like her mother." One woman enthused.

"How old is she?" Chimed in another.

"She turned 18 in October." Emily smiled proudly looking between her friends and her granddaughter.

"Tell me, dear," Another woman, who was later introduced as Francine Beauregard, turned towards Rory, "Have you come out yet?"

"I'm sorry?" Rory stepped back, confusion written on her face, _Do Grandma's friends think I'm…_ her thoughts were cut off by Francine who had noticed her confused face.

"To society dear," She explained, "Are you a Deb?"

"Oh, no." Rory shook her head, the only thing she knew about debutante balls was that her mother missed hers because she'd gotten pregnant with Rory and her dress no longer fit.

"Would you want to?" Emily asked, eyes hopeful, "I had the best time at mine, and your mother sadly was unable to attend her own. I just thought that as the last Gilmore Girl, you might want to revive the tradition."

 _I'm a Danes Dame, though,_ Rory thought to herself, never happier with the moniker her dad had given his wife and daughters, "I don't know. I'm not really sure it's my thing. Besides I'm not the last one, you still have Mimi." She pointed out.

"That is true, but you know we were never able to give you a sweet 16." Emily put on a sad face, "Let me do this for you."

Rory knew that there was no way she was going to be able to leave the verandah without agreeing to the event. Finally, after much internal debate she agreed. Emily immediately jumped into planning mode, grabbing the information pamphlet that included all the requirements and rules for the event including how the Debs should act and dress as well as their fathers and escorts. Her grandmother was prattling on about modifying Lorelai's old dress for Rory, as the younger girl just nodded along, overwhelmed.

Three hours later, she was finally walking into her home. Tossing the keys in the bowl next to the front door she slumped on the couch next to her mother who was watching a rerun of Quantum Leap. "I'm coming out." She spoke flatly.

"Out of what?" Lorelai asked, never breaking focus on the screen.

"Out into society"

"What are you talking about?" Lorelai asked, hitting the mute button and turning toward her daughter.

"I went to Grandma and Grandpa's today to pick up that book from Grandpa's office." Rory explained, "When I came out of the office, I heard Grandma calling me. I guess had some of the DAR ladies over for tea and they were on the back patio."

"Please tell me you didn't go out onto the patio."

"I went out onto the patio." Rory blushed.

"Oh, Rory, that's like accepting the position of drummer in Spinal Tap." Lorelai groaned.

"Grandma and her friends were telling me how important it is for a person to be properly presented to society, and she was looking at me with those eyes. You know the ones." Rory shrugged, "Before I knew it, I was agreeing and she start off in this big planning frenzy."

"The only good thing there is the cake." Lorelai shook her head, "Trust me, it may be delicious, I mean Sookie at her prime delicious, but it's not enough to justify parading around in a dress that is essentially a wedding dress that practically screams 'for sale to the largest hedge fund.' I'm getting you out of this." She insisted, walking toward the phone.

"No Mom," Rory took the phone from her hands. "Don't, this is really important to Grandma, you should have seen how excited she was. I figure it's just one night, I can do one night if it makes her happy."

"You are such a soft touch." Lorelai groaned, "Fine, but you're telling your dad about this; he's the one who has to present you, and don't forget to find someone to escort you too."

"Escort?" Rory asked, thumbing through the booklet in her hand.

"Usually a boyfriend or a guy friend, preferably one who is tres cute." Lorelai faux gushed.

"What's this talk of boyfriends and cute guys?" Luke jokingly demanded as he walked into the living room.

"Rory is coming out." Lorelai explained.

"Out? But she's not…" Luke looked between the two Lorelais, confusion creasing his brow.

"Coming out, you know white dresses, gloves, curtsies." His wife tried to explain.

"I need a little more than that," Luke shook his head, "I seem to have misplaced my Gilmore to English dictionary somewhere."

"So now I'm a Gilmore?" Lorelai teased, "Coming out to society, being a debutante."

"You are when you start spouting off society stuff." Luke shook his head before looking at Rory, "You can't be serious."

"Well I wasn't going to use Mom's way of getting out of it." Rory shrugged.

"Thank God for small miracles." Luke sighed, "This is crazy."

"There's no talking her out of it." Lorelai shook her head, "She's doing it as a favor to my mother."

"Fine," Luke shrugged, "Have fun." He started to walk toward the kitchen to make dinner.

"Whoa, slow down there, Speedy." Lorelai called him, grabbing his arm, "Where are you going?"

"To make dinner," He looked at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"There's more." Lorelai informed him.

"How can there possibly be more?" He asked.

"You have to present me?" Rory's statement came out more like a question. "Please Daddy, all you have to do is walk me down some stairs and hand me off to my escort, it'll take like 30 seconds than you can sit with Mom and mock the whole event for all I care."

"Alright, when is this thing?" He shrugged.

"April 5th." Rory supplied, "I just hope I can find an escort before then."

"You don't have an escort?" Lorelai asked.

"What about Dean?" Luke looked confused.

"Try to keep up. They broke up, Babe." Lorelai informed her husband, "He didn't like that she had to kiss Tristin for her play last week and told her that if she let Tristin kiss her, that he would dump her. She said that she wasn't going to sacrifice her grade for his stupidity so she dumped him."

"Good, I never liked that idiot any way." Luke grunted.

"But that still leaves me without an escort." Rory reminded him.

"I might have a solution," Luke mused, "Assuming they're available."

"Who?" Lorelai questioned.

"It's a surprise." Luke smiled smugly before heading towards the kitchen as he pulled his cellphone from his pocket and hit the well-worn speed-dial button on his phone. "Hey, it's me. Listen I have a favor to ask. What are you doing on April 5th?"


	18. Presenting Lorelai Gilmore-Danes

**April 5, 2003  
Danes Home  
1500 hours  
**

Rory had woken up nervous, it was the day of her debut but to her knowledge, she still had no escort. She could barely tolerate the boys at school, and none of the guys here age in the Hollow would have felt comfortable being her escort for this kind of thing. She knew Luke said that he would handle it, but here it was the day of the event and he still hadn't told her who her escort was going to be. It didn't help that her dad had been at work all day and wasn't due home until a little while before they were to leave for the ballroom.

"Rory," Lorelai called her, "Could you come down here please?"

"Be right there, Mom," She yelled back before following her mother's voice to the sewing room. "What's up?"

"I just finished the alterations to your dress." Lorelai explained.

"Cutting it a little close to the wire, aren't you Mom?"

"Hush, you." Lorelai playfully scolded the 18-year-old, "Now go in there and put this on." She instructed, handing the dress to Rory and shooing her into the walk-in closet that served as a dressing room when she made costumes or did the freelance alterations she was known for in the small township.

Accepting the gown, Rory rolled her eyes as she went to change. She quickly slid on the dress before returning to her mother to get help with the zipper. Lorelai quickly raised the pull tab and for good measure, swept Rory's hair up off her neck so she could get an idea of what it would look like once her hair had been done. "All set," Lorelai smiled, "What do you think?"

Rory had no words, she could hardly recognize herself in the three-way mirror. The white gown fit her perfectly, it had capped sleeves and a modest scooped neckline that gave just the barest hint of the swell of her breasts beneath the fabric. The beaded bodice fit close to her curves before flaring out in a full-length A-line skirt.

"Turn." Lorelai instructed, motioning with her hand as Rory made a full circle. "Looks good, now go take it off so we can bag it up and get you beautiful."

Rory nodded mutely before going to change her clothes again. The event didn't start until 7:30 but they had to be there by 5:30. Knowing they only had a couple hours left, Lorelai quickly swept her into the bathroom to start getting ready. After Rory was showered, she pulled on a pair of jeans and buttoned up the shirt Lorelai had given her to wear while her hair and make-up were being done. That way when it came time to change into her dress, none of the beautification would be mussed.

At 5'o'clock, Luke rushed into the house. "Sorry I'm late," He apologized to the ladies who had taken seats in the living room to wait for him. "We got slammed at the diner. I'm gonna go hop in the shower and shave really quick and then we can go. I'll change at the event."

Twenty minutes later they were loaded up in the car, Rory and Luke in jeans and button up flannels and Lorelai in a semi-formal navy gown that matched her husband's uniform. The kids had already been dropped off at Sookie and Jackson's for the night. Luke's uniform and Rory's gown along with their dress shoes were laid flat in the trunk area of the SUV. Luke quickly put the car in gear and backed out of the drive way. They were running behind, but there was nothing that could be done about it now.

"Is that my shirt?" Luke asked, catching a glimpse of the overly large blue and red checkered shirt that Rory was wearing.

"Yep," Lorelai smiled at her husband cheekily, "She needed something she could get out of without messing up my work when she went to put on her dress. Don't worry, you'll get it back, no harm will come from your precious shirt."

"So, Dad," Rory looked toward Luke, "Any word on the escort front? I mean we're on our way there and I still don't know who they are."

"It's a surprise," Luke smiled at her through the rearview mirror before merging onto the highway, "I promise, you will have an escort, you gotta trust me."

"Whatever you say, Dad" Rory sighed, slouching in her seat as they made their way towards Hartford.

 **Hartford Grand Ballroom  
1805 hours**

The Danes family could hardly believe their eyes, the venue for the event was huge. It had been explained to them by Emily that they had to hold the event at a larger ballroom this year since the events of the past two years had canceled several debut events so there was nearly three times the number of girls being presented that day. Luke was quickly whisked away by a woman in a black dress, carrying a clipboard and shown where the fathers and escorts were getting dressed.

Lorelai and Rory were met by another official of the event. The older woman had a scowl on her face as she spoke. "You are…"

"Lorelai Gilmore-Danes." Rory supplied, hoping to get a move-on knowing that she was already late.

"…Late." The woman looked irritated for being cut off.

"Sorry about that, my husband got held up at work." Lorelai tried to brush off their tardiness, "You know these workaholic types; you can't ever pull them away from the office."

"You are to head up the stairs. The preparation room is on the right." The woman continued, ignoring the elder Lorelai. "I'm heading up there now, if you'll please follow me."

As soon as the official and Rory entered the debs' dressing room she started calling out instructions to the girls, reminding them that they only had a short time left before the event was to start before leaving the young women to finish their preparations.

Hanging her dress on one of the racks nearby, Rory took a seat at one of the mirrors to double check her hair and make-up. Turning to the girl beside her whose blonde bob was being mercilessly teased by some hairdresser, Rory smiled. "I can't believe we have an hour and a half." She mused, trying to break the tension in the room.

"I know," The girl agreed, staring between the tubes of lipstick in her hands, "Ugh, I can't decide. Which one should I wear? I've been thinking about it since last month and I can't figure it out." Holding up the tubes to Rory she weighed the options between the orange-red and the red-red tubes talking as if her whole life depended on this decision. "I'm Libby, by the way." She smiled nervously.

"Rory."

"Nice to meet you." The girl nodded before looking in the mirror at the hairdresser and scolding the woman about being too rough with her hair.

About a half out later Rory and Libby, along with several of the other Debs, were in their dresses waiting for the event to start. Rory was sitting quietly in the corner reading when Libby approached her, a flask in her hand. "Midori Sour?" She offered.

"No thanks," Rory smiled before returning to her book.

"More for me." The young woman smiled weakly, taking a sip. "At my last coming out, I shared with a girl who couldn't handle her booze. Neon green puke all down her white dress."

"Your last coming out?" Rory questioned, confusion written across her face.

"Yeah, this is my fifth one since November." Libby admitted, "You know, they say four out of five debs marry their escorts, I figure five deb balls, five escorts, one of 'ems gotta stick, right?"

"I guess." Rory shrugged as a group of giggling Debs came into the room gushing over some escort they had just seen.

"So, is your escort the one?" Libby prodded.

"The one what?" Rory asked.

"The one you're going to marry." Libby looked at her expectantly.

"Oh, I don't know." Rory shook her head, "To be completely honest, I don't even know who my escort is. My boyfriend dumped me the weekend before my grandmother talked me into this and my dad promised he would find me an escort. All he'll tell me is that it's a surprise."

"Interesting," Libby nodded before turning to the group of giggling girls, "Hey Betsy, what has got all of you in such a tizzy?"

"There's this really hot guy downstairs." The redhead smiled, her green eyes sparkling. "I think he's an escort, but he's not wearing tails like all the others. He's got on some kind of uniform."

"Oh, that's probably my dad." Rory smiled, "He's a retired Marine Captain."

Whatever Betsy was going to say was cut off by an announcement for all the fathers and debs to report to the staging area as the event was about to begin. As the young women made their way out to meet their fathers, another wave of gasps and whispers swept over them.

"What is it now?" Rory asked.

"You're not going to believe it," a deb who had introduced herself earlier as Lauren spoke up, "It seems like we have a hot dad on the premises."

"A hot dad?" Rory asked, not sure she wanted the answer.

"Yeah, you know one of those with a future stepdaughter your age and more old money than you would know what to do with." Lauren responded as if it was not weird in the least, which confused Rory. "Sounds like he might be the older version of the escort that was spotted downstairs."

"In what way?" Libby asked.

"Apparently he is in uniform." Lauren shrugged, "Perhaps an officer of some kind."

Rory just laughed, knowing exactly who they were talking about, "I don't know who the younger man is, but trust me, there's no old money with the older one. I'm pretty sure that's my dad, and I can assure you he is most definitely not society. Only reason I'm here is that my grandmother made such a big deal out of my mom never making her debut so I'm doing this for her."

"So no money?" One of the other girls asked.

"Not the kind you're thinking of." Rory smirked, "My dad owns his own business and we're not exactly destitute, my folks make enough to send me to Chilton. Not to mention he and Mom are very happily married."

"That sucks," Another girl muttered as they found their fathers and lined up.

"Hey Daddy," Rory smiled as she approached her dad, "Thanks for doing this."

"Hey, anything for my princess." He kissed her forehead unaware of the stares he was getting from the debutants nearby. All of them taking in his sturdy frame in his dress blues, ceremonial sword attached to his belt, cover tucked under his right arm so his left would be free to Rory, whose arm was now linked with his. "You ready to do this?"

"Just promise me you won't let me fall." Rory smiled nervously.

"Of course," Luke assured her as the line began to move forward as each deb was introduced.

Fifteen minutes later, it was finally her turn. An older woman stood at a podium halfway down the stairs, announcing each young woman. "Lorelai Gilmore-Danes" She announced, "Daughter of Retired Captain Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore-Danes."

Luke gave Rory's hand an affectionate squeeze as he led her down the staircase. Rory, like all the debs walked closer to the bannister so that they could be seen during their descent. A spotlight followed each girl, it blinded Rory to the point that she couldn't make out more than the vague shape of her escort until she hit the last landing. She couldn't help but feel like she knew the silhouette.

Stepping down to the foot of the stair case, Luke kissed her hand as she curtsied low to the audience. Her escort, hat tucked under his left arm, executed a formal salute, which Luke returned. Tucking his hat under his right arm, the young man offered his left and led Rory to the dance floor. She could vaguely make out the sound of the Mistress of Ceremonies, over the sound of her own heartbeat. This was the first time they'd seen each other in nearly three years and she was surprised at her reaction to him.

He could hardly believe his eyes as he watched Rory slowly descend the stairs. The gorgeous creature that on the senior officer's arm couldn't possibly be the little girl he remembered. She had really grown up, he knew that she would be pretty someday, but nothing had prepared him for the breathtaking beauty that was now Rory Danes.

He had seen the shy smile and bush that had bloomed on her face when she finally saw him, and he couldn't help the answering smirk that now graced his as he saluted his uncle and offered his arm to the girl. "Miss Gilmore-Danes is escorted by Second Lieutenant Jessup Mariano." He barely heard the woman in the background as he focused on remembering to breathe and ignore the sparks of electricity that ebbed where her hand was held in his before coursing through his whole body.

"You look nice," he whispered low in her hear as they stepped onto the dance floor where the other debs were awaiting the start of their fan dance. He couldn't help but notice the flush of her cheeks or shiver that coursed through her body as his breath tickled her neck. He smiled at her and bowed smoothly before joining his aunt and uncle at their table.

"Very well done," Lorelai commended him.

"Why do I have the feeling that you are to blame for everyone here knowing my name is Jessup?" He spoke low so only she could hear, "You couldn't have just told them my name is Jess?"

"Where would be the fun in that?" The older woman challenged, a knowing smirk on her face.

"You're evil." Jess chuckled, "Pure evil."

"I learned from the best." Came the retort as Lorelai nodded toward where her mother and father were sitting.

The night passed smoothly, as soon as the debs had completed their fan dance, they joined their families and escorts for dinner followed by a father daughter dance. Lorelai couldn't help but be transported to that night nearly 10 years before when Luke and Rory had shared their first dance. She looked just as much a princess in her flowing white gown as she did in the pretty blue one she'd worn all those years ago. Luke looked down at the girl with as much pure love in his eyes as he did back then. The only difference is that Rory was no longer standing on Luke's toes and was surprisingly able to hold her own as he led her across the floor. Applause broke out throughout the ball room as the dance ended and the ladies curtsied daintily before being lead off the floor.

Jess was impressed that Rory had been able to keep up with Luke the whole time. Despite all her claims to the contrary, she was actually quite graceful as she floated across the floor in her father's arms. Jess, normally not one to dance, found himself actually looking forward to his turn with the girl in his arms. He kept reminding himself that she was just a girl, practically his sibling, but try telling that to his heart which decided to start racing a thousand miles a minute the moment he took her into his arms for their dance.

"I never did ask," Rory spoke as he spun her, "How did you have the time to do this? Aren't you still supposed to be in Arlington?"

"Luke got lucky, I have a short break between the end of Basic School and the beginning of tactical training." Jess shrugged.

"Tactical training?" Rory questioned, "That's front line, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is." Jess nodded, he knew it made her nervous, "The other options were aviation and logistics. Can you really see me behind the stick of an aircraft or behind a desk doing paperwork?"

"I think you could pull of a desk job." She smiled up at him, "But you'd probably go stir crazy after the first week or so. You're always moving, even when you're sitting down."

She giggled a little at the surprised look he gave her, making it clear that he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Your leg." She supplied, "When you're sitting, you constantly bounce it. Probably the only time I've ever seen you not do that is when you used to smoke… yes I knew. You forget the bridge was my place first, I saw you out there from time to time."

They danced in silence a few more moments as her words sunk into him. He'd been so careful after Luke had lectured him about smoking, especially around Rory, after he was caught behind the diner a little while after he'd arrived. He had eventually quit when he went to MMA, it helped that there were a handful of guys there who were attempting to quit at the same time. Not to mention the added benefit of being able to breathe easier during drills and competition.

"I'm glad you quit, you know." Rory murmured, "Although I must admit I like the way you smelt of leather and tobacco back then, but I rather prefer you without the smell of stale smoke."

"Thanks," Jess murmured back, slightly embarrassed at the comment, but slightly pleased that she'd actually taken the time to notice. He knew he shouldn't be thinking of her opinions in that way, or enjoying the feel of her in his arms so much, but he just couldn't find the resolve to let go just yet.

"I missed you." Rory whispered, laying her head on his chest as they swayed along to the music.

"I missed you too." He admitted, his arm drawing her in closer.

They stayed, swaying on the floor much longer than their first dance, both knowing that this may be the last time they might see each other for a long time. Both content to be in each other's arms for the time being. Neither noticing the looks that passed between Luke and Lorelai or the elder Gilmores.


	19. Admissions Anxiety

**Luke's Diner  
May 8, 2003  
1545 hours**

"They came!" Rory crowed as she flew through the door of her father's diner, "They're the big ones, too!"

Luke had been chatting with his wife as he wiped down the counter when their daughter's voice rang out over the bells on the door. He shared a proud look with his wife, both knowing the significance of the large envelopes.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Sweets?" Lorelai beamed, "Let's see who all wants a piece of my baby."

"I'm not your baby," Rory rolled her eyes as she hopped up on her stool, "Technically, Mimi is your baby."

"You'll _always_ be my baby," Lorelai gushed, "Don't care if you're 8, 18, or 80."

"You do realize when I'm 80 you'll be 97 and questioning your own name let alone my relation to you." Rory teased, "If you're even still around."

"Why so mean to Mommy?" Lorelai scoffed, "Besides, Gran is still around and I'm pretty sure she's older than the pyramids, so there's a pretty good chance I may even outlive you."

"This is turning into a very strange and morbid conversation," Luke groused, "Can we please get back on topic? Rory, you said something about big envelopes?"

"Oh, right!" She smiled, spreading the four envelopes out on the counter top. One envelope had a crimson and grey school crest, the next a blue crest, the third crest was orange and black, and the fourth was a dark green."

"Wow, you certainly have darker end of the spectrum covered here," Lorelai quipped.

"I know," Rory grinned, "I mean that's nearly all the colleges I applied to, the only one I haven't heard from was Stamford. I know I always said I wanted to go to Harvard, and only applied at the others as back-ups but I didn't expect to be accepted to nearly all of them!"

"Are you still set on Harvard?" Luke asked.

"I don't know," Rory sighed, "I mean I've had my eyes set on that goal since I was old enough to know what college was, but now. I just don't know any more, I mean Harvard is an awesome school, great history, but Yale has just as much history, Grandpa went there, and it's closer than all the others. Sara Lawrence is a really great school, and so is Princeton."

"Sounds like you have some thinking to do." Lorelai mused, "When do you need to let them know your decision?"

"Um," Rory looked at her parents nervously before blushing, "I don't know, I haven't opened the envelopes yet."

"So you may be freaking out over nothing." Luke quirked his eyebrow at her.

"Maybe," Rory admitted.

"Why don't we start with opening the letters first and seeing what they say, then we can let the dramatics commence." He teased.

"Right," Rory nodded, sliding her finger under the flap of each envelope, skimming over each acceptance letter before setting them back down on the corresponding envelope. "Looks like the earliest date is the beginning of July if I have any hope of getting housing."

"Okay, so that gives you nearly two months to make your choice." Luke nodded calmly.

"I guess you have some lists to make?" Lorelai questioned, "May want to get going on that."

"Yeah," Rory nodded, the task along with everything else she had going on overwhelming her.

"Rory?" Luke caught her attention, "Breathe, you got this, you're a smart girl. If you weren't, you wouldn't be in this situation. These are all great schools, and you would do well in any of them, there is no wrong answer here." He poured the girl a large to-go cup of coffee and slid it toward her, "I have pens and some notebooks in the kitchen of the office, why don't you head up and let this all sink in for a bit. I'll come get you when it's time for dinner."

Rory simply nodded mutely as she collected her things and headed toward the curtain that separated the diner from the storage area and upstairs office.

"Take your time," Luke gave her a gentle smile. After hearing the sound of Rory's feet on the stairs and the shutting of the office door, he turned back to his wife, "Wow, that's quite a haul our little girl brought in."

"No kidding," Lorelai nodded before a grin split her face, "I'm so proud of her."

"Me too." Luke chuckled, "I don't envy her decision; I did figure it was coming, though."

Just as Lorelai was about to speak, the diner phone rang, "Luke's" the proprietor answered, "You're welcome, Sweetie, I figured you'd prefer time and space to do those lists of yours… I love you too."

"Girlfriend?" Lorelai teased.

"Yeah you know how I get about those blue-eyed brunettes…" Luke rolled his eyes.

"Was 30 seconds too long for your favorite eldest daughter to be away from you?" She chuckled, knowing the tight bond the man had with their daughter.

"I set up Jess' old apartment for Rory so she could spend the weekend on her decision." Luke shrugged, "I figured this day was coming sooner or later and that it would be easier for her if she didn't have the little kids bugging her every 2 minutes as she mulled it over. I also packed her some clothes and pajamas."

"You are such a softie," Lorelai gave her husband a smile and shook her head at him.

"Only for my girls." Luke smirked and pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"What about Billy?" She joked.

"Billy's my little man, I don't have to be a softie to earn his love, just promise to teach him my slider when he'd old enough." He chuckled, tossing his towel back on the counter before grabbing his note pad to take the orders of the two older women who he saw crossing the square on the way to the diner.


	20. Decisions, Decisions

**Luke's Diner  
May 11, 2003  
1320 hours**

After three days sequestered in her father's old apartment with charts, lists, and multitudes of colored pens, Rory finally emerged, a two-sided pro-con list comparing the last two schools she was considering. Luke quietly poured her a cup of coffee as she settled on her stool. He patiently waited for her to speak, fidgeting with the perpetually broken toaster as Rory finished her drink.

Rory sat contemplatively as her father refilled her cup. "I'm waiting for Mom," Was all the explanation she gave. Luckily they didn't have to wait long; Luke smiled as he saw his wife crossing the square from their home to his diner.

"Where's my super-smart college-bound baby?" She called out dramatically as she burst into the diner.

"I'm right in front of you, Mom." Rory rolled her eyes at her mother's antics.

"Hey," Lorelai smiled at her husband as he gave her a kiss. "Mmm, almost as good as your coffee."

"'Almost?'" Luke challenged.

"You'll be given a chance to redeem yourself," Lorelai replied coyly.

"Later," He promised huskily, setting a mug on the counter in front of her and filling it with dark liquid.

"Dirty," Lorelai purred, lifting the cup to her lips.

"Gross guys!" Rory protested, "Daughter in the room!"

"Gross is right," Lorelai countered, pointing a look at her husband, "What is this? Because I can tell you is surely isn't coffee."

"You don't need the caffeine." Luke defended.

"Oh contraire, mon amore," Lorelai countered, "The coffee and the caffeine in said coffee is what gives me my winning personality. Take it back and give me the real stuff, please."

"Jeeze, you'd think he'd have learned by now," Rory shook her head in mock-disappointment as Luke grumblingly replaced the decaf with real coffee.

"It was worth a shot," He shrugged.

"Just give up already, Dad." Rory laughed, "You will never win."

"Yeah, yeah," He rolled his eyes, leaning against the back counter.

"I'll deal with him later," Lorelai replied flippantly, "Well Sweets, why have you summoned us here on this auspicious occasion?"

"I think, no, I have made a decision on college." Rory looked between her parents, "I want to go to Yale."

"Are you sure, Sweets?" Lorelai checked, "You know you don't have to go because Grandpa went there."

"I know," Rory nodded, "I'm no more obligated to attend Yale than Jess was to attend the Naval Academy or accept a commission because of Dad and Grandpa Will."

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure," Lorelai nodded.

"Dad?" Rory turned to her father, "Do you have an opinion?"

"Is it a good school?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Do they have the program you want?"

"Yes."

"Do you think you'd be happy going there after having your sights set on Harvard for so long?" He continued his casual inquisition.

"Yeah, I think so." Rory nodded slowly.

"Do you promise to come back at least every other weekend so that your mom won't drive me completely bonkers?" He asked.

"I think that ship sailed the day you said, 'I do.'" Rory smirked.

"Hey!" Lorelai protested their teasing.

"Oh you know it's true." Rory laughed, "I mean Dad already calls you 'Crazy Lady.'"

"Rude!" Lorelai gasped.

"The truth hurts sometimes." Luke shrugged, "Just remember we love you as you are, Crazy Lady."

"Yeah Mom, we wouldn't take you any other way." Rory agreed before turning back to her father, "I promise to come home at least a couple times a month to visit."

"Good." Luke nodded, "If you are sure about your decision, I'll be glad to put that ridiculous 'Proud Yale Father' sticker on my tailgate."

Rory beamed running around the counter, "Thanks, Daddy!" Nearly knocking Luke over by the force of her hug.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Lorelai pouted, "Where's the love for Mommy who supported, raised, and nurtured you the last 18 years."

"Oh relax, you're next." Rory gave Luke one more squeeze before rounding the counter to be enveloped in her mother's embrace.

"I'm so proud of you Babe," Lorelai cooed, "And I'm loving the fact your school is only 30 minutes away. You could still live at home and go to school!"

Luke caught the concerned look in his daughter's eyes, "Now Lorelai, we discussed this. It is better for Rory to live in the dorms on campus; she won't have to fight traffic to get to and from school, her classes are right there, and it will allow her to meet new people."

"But…" Lorelai's whine was cut off by a stern look from her husband. "Fine, I guess I'll have a few months to get used to the idea that my baby is abandoning me."

"So dramatic." Rory rolled her eyes answered only by her father's shrug and small chuckle.


	21. Yalie

**August 16, 2003  
Yale University  
0815 hours**

"Look at all this traffic!" Luke groused as he joined the line of cars inching their way across the Yale campus toward the dorms. His old green Chevy, loaded down with a new mattress and other furniture that Lorelai insisted that their daughter needed, sticking out like a sore thumb among the luxury vehicles that surrounded them. " _This_ is why I wanted to leave early; to avoid this mess."

"Oh, calm down," Lorelai rolled her eyes, "We both know the real reason for your oh so charming attitude this morning and it has nothing to do with the traffic."

"She's too young," Luke harrumphed, glaring at the car in front of him as if trying to move it with his mind. "Maybe you had a point; maybe she should just stay at home and commute. Or we could give her the diner apartment if she wants her own place, Jess won't be needing it any time soon."

"Oh Babe," Lorelai placed her hand over where his rested on the knob of the gear shift, "You know you were right that it is better for her to stay in the dorms. She won't have to commute living here; she'll be closer to her classes, the libraries, and her classmates."

"They'd better be girls." He grumbled.

"Her roommates will be, but Yale has been a co-ed school for a long time. If it weren't she wouldn't be able to come here." Lorelai gave him a soft smile, "She's bound to meet a boy or two during her time here. Look at it this way, if one of them breaks her heart, she'll still be close enough for you to kick the jerk's ass."

"You trying to cheer me up?" Luke raised his eyebrow at her as they idled forward.

"Is it working?" She grinned, "Because I have a few tricks, and several empty rooms at my disposal if you need more cheering up."

"Dirty," He leaned over and whispered huskily in her ear.

"You like it." She teased.

"And we have the kids to prove it," He chuckled.

"I love you, Diner Man." Lorelai gave him a blinding smile.

"I love you too, Crazy Lady," He pressed a soft kiss to her lips before returning his focus to the road where the cars seemed to be going around something ahead. "What do you think is going on up there?"

"I dunno," Lorelai shrugged and strained to see further before sitting back with a shake of her head as she giggled, "It's Rory, apparently that brilliant daughter of ours is bodily holding us the last parking space in front of the dorm."

"Ah jeeze," Luke sighed, "She is definitely your daughter."

"Yeah but you have to admit that out of the box thinking is something she got from her father." Lorelai chuckled.

"I think you give him too much credit." Luke shook his head, "You forget, I met Hayden, he's far from intelligent enough to think outside the box… assuming he was able to find it in the first place."

"I wasn't talking about Chris." Lorelai gave him a small smile as Rory guided them into the parking space.

"Finally!" Rory crowed, looking through her mother's window, "What took you two so long? I nearly got ran over three times and got more withering stares than I know what to do with."

"Someone had to go back for her camera," Luke rolled his eyes as he opened his wife's door.

"I wanted to commemorate this day for posterity," Lorelai defended herself, "You'll thank me for it later."

"Hi!" A peppy blonde with a Yale polo shirt and a clip board greeted them. "My name is Tess. Dropping off?"

"Yep," Luke nodded, releasing the straps the held his cargo in place.

"Name?" Tess asked.

"Rory, Lorelai Danes." Rory informed her.

"Lorelai Danes…" Tess looked over her clipboard, "Ah, here you are Lorelai 'Rory' Danes. Welcome to Yale!"

"Thanks." Rory smiled.

"You Mom?" Tess looked toward Lorelai.

"Hmm? Oh yeah I'm her mom," Lorelai nodded enthusiastically, "We're so proud of our little Brainiac."

"Mom!" Rory protested.

"Don't embarrass the kid." Luke shook his head.

Tess just chuckled before she gestured toward the camera that hung around Lorelai's neck, "You might want to get that ready."

"Why?"

"I'm about to hand over her dorm suite key." Tess explained unhooking the key from her clip board, dangling it over Rory's hand.

"Oh! Wait, wait," Lorelai fumbled with the camera, eventually lifting the camera to her eye to frame the shot, "Oops, lens cap."

Lorelai snapped several shots rapid-fire of the key being placed into her daughter's hand. She then turned the camera on her husband who was unloading the contents of the truck onto the sidewalk to be carried in. When he finally caught her, he gave her a stern look and rolled his eyes causing his wife to chuckle at him.

"Rory, your dorm is down this path here," Tess pointed toward the pathway between the buildings, "First dorm on the right, and your suite is on the first floor, third door to the left. You're sharing with three other girls. Two girls in each bedroom and a common area. I'll be your freshmen counselor, my room is across the hall from yours and all the way down at the end."

"Alright," Rory nodded.

"Where am I taking this?" Luke grunted, hefting the mattress into his arms.

"Did you make arrangements to dispose of the old one?" Tess asked him.

"Arrangements?" Luke asked perplexed.

"Oh, yes, we made arrangements to get rid of the old mattress," Lorelai cut in, "Didn't we _Dear_?" She emphasized the last word, challenging her husband to contradict her.

"Oh right." Luke shrugged, "So where are we headed?"

"Follow me." The peppy counselor turned on her heel and led the Danes, all carrying items in their arms toward the dorm.

"You made arrangements to get rid of the old mattress?" Luke whispered to his wife as Tess left them outside Rory's suite.

"Yes I did." Lorelai responded confidently.

"Really?" Rory challenged, opening the door to her suite, "Because the booklet the sent said specifically to arrange for the old mattress to be picked up before arrival."

"Ooh, very nice." Lorelai looked around, hoping to change the subject.

"So what time are the mattress guys getting here?" Rory set down and turned to her mother, hands on her hips, eyebrow raised in near perfect copy of her father when he called the woman's bluffs.

"Uh, later today sometime." Lorelai deflected.

"So are we supposed to wait for them?" Luke asked, setting the mattress against the wall between the two bedroom doors.

"I think they'll let themselves in?"

"Really?" Rory rolled her eyes, "They have a key?"

"Yes?" Lorelai looked between her husband and her daughter before her resolve crumbled, "Okay I confess I never called the mattress-mover guys."

"I knew it!" Luke chuckled wryly.

"But we can get rid of it when we leave, can't we Hunky?" Lorelai gave her husband a coy grin.

"Don't call me that," He protested.

"Oh come on Snuffy," Lorelai teased, "You're so strong, and wonderful, I'm sure it would be no problem for you."

"You seriously want to bring it back with us?" He asked.

"Not all the way home, we'd find a dumpster somewhere and get rid of it."

"Mom!" Rory groaned, "Someone could trace it back to me."

"Okay new plan, we hold onto it until the firelight festival and the night before we sneak it into the bonfire, it'll go up in flames!"

"We're here five minutes and you're already indulging your inner pyromaniac," Rory chuckled before taking a good look at the common room, "Did you see any emergency exits?"

"Ooh, a fire place," Lorelai cut in, "I wonder if it's wood burning… ooh ooh, maybe we won't have to drag the old mattress out after all."

"Pyro," Luke rolled his eyes, "We'll take it home and store it in the garage until the school year's out, then we'll just switch the mattresses at the end of the year again."

"See, I knew you'd think of something," Lorelai grinned.

"It says here, 'Upon arrival take note of the emergency exits.'" Rory read off her pamphlet.

"Which one is your room?" Lorelai asked, ignoring her daughter's muttering as she looked at the papers taped to the doors of each room, "R.D., this must be you." She pointed toward the door that bore her daughter's initials above the initials P.G.

"Oh shoot, my map ripped, I'm missing the half with the old campus on it." Rory sighed, "I wonder where I can get a new one… old campus, great."

"Don't worry about it right now," Luke consoled her, "We'll get you a new map later, let's just focus on getting you unpacked." He guided her into the door to her room where her mother was already standing looking around.

"Here it is; here's where you are going to be thinking all kinds of impressive thoughts," Lorelai enthused, "It's a blank slate, just waiting for your decorative stamp… and perhaps a little air freshener." She added, opening the window between the beds.

"Uh huh," Rory said a little distractedly, still pouring over the pamphlet in her hands.

"Okay, that's it!" Lorelai huffed, "Re-do, you haven't seen anything in this dorm."

"Sorry Mom," Rory blushed slightly, putting the book aside and looking up at her mother, "Paying attention now."

"Nope," Lorelai shook her head before pointing to her daughter and husband in succession, "You grab the box you just brought in, Burger Boy grab the mattress; we're doing it again."

"Lorelai," Luke rolled his eyes, "I'm not carrying the mattress out just to bring it back in again."

"Fine, you can take the pictures then." She stated, handing the camera to him before grabbing a box and shooting a pointed look to her daughter who did the same and followed her outside. Luke shook his head as his wife announced that they were entering Rory's dorm for 'the first time' and dutifully took the requested pictures as the two women re-entered the room, boxes in hand.

The Daneses quickly set to work getting Rory set up in her room, a couple hours later, Rory was leaving for her student orientation as her parents headed toward the one for parents. They later met up for lunch before heading back to the dorm where they met two more of Rory's roommates, Tanna and Janice who would be sharing the other room. Tanna was a 15-year-old prodigy who had finally succeeded in convincing her parents to just allow her to live in the dorms rather than relocate the entire family to New Haven from the small Iowa town where she'd grown up. Janice was on an athletic scholarship for track and field and had the long, lean body to prove it.

By early afternoon, Luke and Lorelai were bidding their eldest goodbye so they could pick up their younger children from visiting Auntie Sookie and Uncle Jackson where they'd spent the day playing with little Davey and Martha. The moment was bittersweet for all involved. This was the first time Rory was going to be away from home for so long, aside from the 6 weeks she'd spent in DC for the student leadership program the previous summer. Luke and Lorelai were proud of their daughter's accomplishments and where anxiously excited to see their little girl taking the first of many steps towards transitioning into adulthood. Rory was thrilled to be finally be taking the next steps toward her future career; she was going to audit a few classes before making her final decisions about which classes she was going to take for the semester, and in the middle of the next week she had an interview with the chief of the student newspaper to see about getting a position as a reporter while she completed her studies.

Hugs were exchanged and promises for returns were made, then Luke and Lorelai were finally on their way home. Rory sighed and returned to her room where she flopped down on her bed and closed her eyes allowing the exhaustion of her early day wash over here when the peace was suddenly broken by a loud _thump_ near the door that led to the common area of the suite. "Hey there Roomie," A forced chipper voice announced itself, "I see they got my request after all. I'm glad they're letting me share a room with my best friend."

"Paris?" Rory sat up and gave the blond girl a questioning look, "Since when do you go to Yale? I thought you were thinking of going to Princeton with Jamie."

"I was, but I realized that going to Princeton for some boy," Paris explained, dropping her laptop case on the foot of the previously empty bed to her left, "Was the epitome of stupid. I mean what if we break up, then I'll have gone to an inferior school for absolutely no reason aside from the opportunity for convenient sex."

"I didn't need to know that last bit," Rory groused.


	22. Enter Naked Guy

**September 12, 2003  
Rory's Dorm Common Area  
1039 hours**

"We _have_ to think up a theme for tomorrow." Paris had assembled her roommates who were all sitting on the couch looking at her like she was crazy as she paced the floor like a caged tigress.

"Since when have you been Miss Social?" Rory challenged, "I seem to remember you having to be forced to socialize in high school."

"Well my life coach suggested that this party might be a good way to open myself up to new people and experiences," Paris defended.

"So we need to come up with a theme?" Rory clarified, giving her roommate a dubious look, "Can't we just be the quiet room? You know just have some soft music playing, give folks an option away from the crazier rooms?"

"You do realize that 'the quiet room' is a theme, right?" Tanna spoke up.

"Don't cloud the issue with logic," Janice groaned, "I have an early training session in the morning. I honestly don't care if you call it a theme or not, so long as it's quiet enough for me to sleep."

"Fine," Paris turned her sights on her other roommates, "Lady Jocks in, how about the two of you?"

"Not like I can do anything other than stay in during the party," Tanna shrugged, "I'll probably just stay in my room and study."

"Danes?"

"Paris, you already know my vote," Rory chuckled, "It was implied when I suggested it; the vote we would still need if you want unanimity rather than majority consensus, is yours."

"Oh," Paris looked taken aback, "I vote yes to the quiet room idea."

"Great," Janice hopped up, "May I go now?"

"One more thing; Rory, can you handle the music?" Paris asked.

"Yeah, I'll see what I have," Rory nodded, "I'll borrow some stuff from Lane if need be."

"Sounds good," Paris attempted a smile with somewhat disturbing results, "Roommate meeting adjourned, _now_ you may go."

Janice was out the door so fast she nearly left a Loony Tunes-esque cloud in her wake. Tanna ambled off to her room, and Rory attempted to get back into the book she was reading before Paris had called the impromptu meeting.

" _The Sun Also Rises_?" Paris asked, flopping down on the sofa beside Rory, "I thought you hated Hemmingway."

"I do," Rory sighed, putting the book aside, "I made a deal with Jess; he's going to read some Ayn Rand but in return I have to read Hemmingway."

"Do you two do this _every_ year?" Paris pressed, "This bet seems awfully familiar."

"Just about," Rory chuckled, "We usually agree on nearly everything else but Hemmingway and Rand."

"How does he find the time?" Paris mused.

"He's always carried a book in his pocket; that hasn't changed." Rory explained, "Whenever he finds time he'll pull it out."

"This is one of the moments your mom would say 'Dirty,' isn't it?" Paris quirked her eyebrow at Rory who was nodding as a blush spread across her cheeks, "Where is he now?"

"He's in Iraq; he was deployed back in June." Rory sighed.

"You worried about him?" Her friend questioned in a rare moment of empathy.

"Yes, of course I am," Rory took a shaky breath, "Every time he does…. When I hear about casualties on the news, I run to my computer to make sure his name isn't on the list so I can breathe again. I mean Iraq has suffered the highest military casualties so far."

Paris nodded thoughtfully before patting Rory awkwardly on the back and speaking in a soft, measured tone, "It's okay to be scared or worried about him. Not only is he family, but aside from me and the Korean girl, he's your best friend. It's only natural for you to be concerned for his safety."

"I guess," Rory sighed, leaning her head back on the back of the couch.

"You need a distraction," Paris announced, "Participate in this shindig…"

"Shindig?" Rory chuckled.

"I stand by my word choice." Her friend stated, "Meet someone; date a bit. You haven't been on a date since you dropped FrankenDean like a hot potato."

"For good reason," Rory defended.

"You'll find no argument from me." Paris accepted, "However you haven't been on a date since. All I'm saying is at least attempt to socialize with some of the guys tonight."

"I will do my best to be a social butterfly," Rory promised.

"Okay, that's enough girl-talk for me." Paris informed her, "See you later, Danes."

"Sure," Rory nodded, reclaiming her book, "Oh, and Paris?"

"Yeah?" She asked from the doorway to their shared room.

"Thanks," Rory smiled only to be answered by a quick nod from her friend.

 **September 12, 2003  
Rory's Dorm Room Common Area  
2105 hours**

The building-wide party had been going full-throttle for the past hour or so, the music throbbing outside the door, overpowering the instrumental CDs the girls had tried playing. Rory had mingled off and on at the beginning and now sat in her common room, drink in hand, foot tapping along with the music as she relaxed on the sofa.

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there, but what seemed like moments later, her attention was drawn to a tall, thin, man with dark, curly, hair, warm eyes, and an easy smile when his gaze met hers. "Hi," He gave a quick wave.

"Hey," Rory returned his smile and sat up. "Would you like to take a seat? I can off you pretty much any one, including mine."

"A little early for _White Christmas_ references, don't you think?" He chuckled.

"No such thing as an out-of-season when it comes to movie references." She joked as he sat on the chair closest to her side of the sofa.

"I stand corrected," He smiled amicably, "It's so much quieter in here."

"We thought we'd offer an option to reduce the risks of volume-induced ear bleeds."

"Very kind of you," He nodded, "I'm Marty."

"Rory," She shook his offered hand, "If you don't mind me asking, aren't you a little old to be an undergrad?"

"Good thing I'm not an undergrad, then." Marty snickered, "I'm actually a first year med student, but I'm also the resident counselor for the 2nd floor."

"Makes sense," Rory nodded, "So you're a med student; any specialty yet?"

"Not yet," Marty shrugged, "But I'd kinda like to work in pediatrics, but the variety that the ER provides is intriguing as well."

"You could work in the emergency room of a children's hospital and split the difference." Rory suggested.

"You pre-med?" Marty asked.

"God no, I'm probably the last person you want as a doctor," She laughed, "My roommate is debating between pre-med and pre-law. Between you and me, I hope she goes with the latter. I don't think she has much of a bedside manner, she's pretty blunt."

"Tall, thin, blonde?" Marty guessed.

"That'd be Paris," She chuckled, "We went to Chilton Prep together, she's always been a bit… intense."

"You went to prep school?" Marty gave her a surprised look, "You just don't… I mean you seem so…"

"Normal?" Rory filled in to save Marty from having to stammer out an apology, "I think that was mostly due to my family and the town I grew up in. They kept me pretty grounded; my mom was raised in Hartford Society but left when she had me."

"How'd you wind up in prep school, then?"

"I started getting bored in school so our principal suggested I attend a school with more challenging curriculum. Luckily my parents had already started saving up for my college fund and had enough for Chilton or Harvard, but not both. They struck a deal with my grandparents, they paid for my Chilton tuition from 8th grade, when I was accepted, until I graduated last year and my grandparents would pay for whatever university I went to."

"That was nice of them," Marty nodded, "Did you like it?"

"Not at first," Rory admitted, "I loved the classes and the teachers, but had a hard time connecting with my classmates. They were all from society families and I was the transfer from the small backwater town whose mother's youthful indiscretions were still openly discussed. Paris didn't even like me at first; she saw me as her only legitimate academic rival."

"So you're both uuber smart?"

"I guess," Rory shrugged, "Or at least were part of the few who didn't take our education for granted. We graduated Valedictorian and Salutorian; no I won't tell you who was which."

"So, if you're not pre-med, what are you in for?" Marty joked.

"Journalism," Rory beamed, "I've always been fascinated by the processes and differences in reporting the news, especially now that news media is changing so rapidly nowadays."

"You want to be the next Katie Couric?" Marty guessed.

"You sell me short," Rory shook her head in faux-pity, "I'm thinking more along the lines of Christiane Amanpour."

"Why her?" Marty asked, struggling to understand why the sweet, seemingly innocent, young woman before him would want to have such dangerous assignments.

"To be honest, I started out wanting to be the next Lois Lane, and then I turned 8 and realized that she wasn't real, although I still thought my dad was Superman." She chuckled, "I did have my sights on Couric's job for a while, but then 9/11 happened.

"My cousin, Jess, is a Marine and was a senior at the Naval Academy at the time." Rory informed him, "He led a team to assist in the rescue and clean-up efforts at the Pentagon. I wrote an article for my school's paper about it. I got statements via phone and email interviews and knew I wasn't getting as much as I could have if I'd been allowed to be there. Not that my dad or Jess would have let me anywhere near there, even if I could have somehow gotten close. I decided that I didn't want to play it safe the next time I had a chance at a story like that. As a result, my goals shifted from Couric-esque to being more like Mrs. Amanpour."

"Wow," Marty remarked, amazed at the girl's passion, "I think I heard about that. It made the papers in Philly; wait, your cousin is Jess Mariano, isn't he?"

"Yeah, we're really proud of him," Rory beamed, "He shipped off to Iraq around the same time I graduated."

"I bet," Marty nodded, "The article made him and his team sound like gods among men."

"I may have gone a little overboard in my appraisal of Jess and his team." Rory chuckled, "I assure you, none of them have Valhalvian lineage."

"Oh, I know. I grew up with Matt, Jess' second in command." Marty shook his head, "Did you say you wrote the article?"

"Yeah, the editor-in-chief of the Hartford Currant had a daughter at Chilton. He saw the article and asked for permission to not only run it in his paper as a freelance piece but send it to some of his editor buddies; many of whom also asked to run it. My folks gave me the option of buying a car with the contracts I got or putting the money in savings for the future. I chose the latter."

"Very prudent." Marty agreed.

"I thought so," she responded smartly, "Enough about me; tell me a little about you."

"You pretty much know most of it." Marty shrugged, "I grew up in Philadelphia, got into Yale by the skin of my teeth, and am now a first year med student."

"Anything else?" she pressed.

"In an attempt to not take out too many loans, I work as a bartender at social events; most of which are hosted by the trust fund babies on campus." He rolled his eyes, "I swear one guy in particular hires me just so that he can rub my nose in the fact that he's rich and I'm not. He always makes a point of letting me know how lucky I am that he hires me over all the other for-hire bartenders in the area."

"What a jerk," Rory sympathized, "If you don't mind me asking; why do you take the job if he treats you so badly?"

"Sad as it sounds, he provides me with more of a steady income than I'd find anywhere else." He sighed, "He and his cronies throw parties nearly every weekend."

"I hope they at least tip well," Rory mused, "Not that it would excuse their behavior."

"I know what you mean," Mary smiled, "They have a gal pal who keeps them somewhat in line; she makes sure that they pay me well and tip me even better. She jokingly refers to the massive tips as my hazard pay."

"At least she has a sense of humor," Rory chuckled, "Hey do you like movies?"

"Depends on the movie," Marty shrugged, "Although I do admit I'm open to pretty much anything."

"Duck Soup? Howard the Duck?" Rory suggested, "We're having a duck themed movie night next Thursday if you want to join us. If you're really good, we may even include the Mighty Ducks movies."

"Sure," Marty agreed with a smile, "I was hoping for an excuse to see you again."

"I'm am of the same mind," She grinned.

"Good," Marty nodded, standing up, "It was a pleasure to meet you Rory Danes."

"How did you…" Rory sputtered.

"I read your article, remember?" Marty reminded her, "I gotta get going, make sure the guys aren't causing too much trouble."

"Okay," She watched him head toward the door, "Wait! I'm at a slight disadvantage here, you know my name but I don't know yours."

"Harris," Marty supplied with a grin, "See you later Miss Danes."

"You too, future Doctor Harris," She beamed back as he slipped out the door into the throng of people moving throughout the building.

Yawning, Rory noted that it was nearly midnight; she knew she probably wouldn't last much longer. Since Janice and Tanna had retired early and she trusted that Paris had her key, Rory shut and locked the suite door and went to change and settle in bed with a good book before drifting off to sleep.

 **September 13, 2003  
Rory's Dorm  
0347 hours**

"Objection, the prosecution is badgering Mr. Badger!" Rory was awoken by her roommate's sleep talking. She tried to get back to sleep but Paris' snoring made it nearly impossible. Instead, Rory pulled on her robe, curious to see what kind of damage the party had wrought on the halls.

The silence throughout the building was a little eerie after the music that had been played at ear-splitting levels just hours before. Grabbing her key from the hook near the door, she quickly slipped out of the suite, the only sounds to be heard were the soft _click_ of the door latch and the shuffle of her slippers on the linoleum floor.

The hall was so dim she nearly tripped over something, or rather someone, which was lain out on the floor. She could make out his, as it was clearly a man, naked form laying prone in front of her. Rory couldn't tell if he was breathing or not, so she nudged him a little with her toe, the man groaned and shifted enough for Rory to make out his shadowed features.

Seeing none of his clothes nearby, she undid the sash of her robe. Stifling a giggle, she slid her robe off her shoulders, leaving her in just her t-shirt and Hello Kitty pajama pants. She swiftly laid the robe over him so as to maintain as much of his dignity as she could. Once the fabric settled over him, she kneeled near his side, tapping his shoulder, before whispering, "Doctor Harris, I realize you know your anatomy, but did you really need to give me a full demonstration?"

The man lifted his head to view her through bleary eyes, "Rory? Wha…?" He started to sit up.

"Wait, don't move," Rory blushed before turning around, "Okay now you may move."

"Where're my clothes?" He slurred, his half-sleepy/half-drunken state giving him a sexy drawl. "If you wan'ed ta see me naked, you coulda jus' asked." He tried to joke.

"Well, I'm not in the habit of asking strange men to disrobe at will for me." She teased back, "I don't know where your clothes vanished to."

"Thanks for da robe," Marty spoke behind her, "You c'n trn 'round now."

When Rory turned around, she had to suppress her laughter at the sight of him in her robe. The thin, floral, fabric was barely long enough to cover him, and was stretched tight around him to prevent anything from showing. "Oh Marty," She chuckled, "You might want to head up to your room before anyone else wakes up."

"Prob'ly a good idea." He admitted, walking unsteadily toward the stairs.

"You gonna be okay?" She asked concerned.

"I'ma be fine," He assured her, "Whit my luck, someun'd see and assume somein' happ'n'd. Yous 'tay 'ere. I'll r'turn your robe later."

"Okay," Rory nodded, "Be careful, okay?"

"G'night R'ry," Marty started to climb the stairs.

"Good night, Marty," She watched before calling out, "Drink plenty of water before you go back to sleep!"

"'Kay!" His disembodied voice answered.

After watching a few more moment to make sure the tell-tale sound of a body falling wasn't heard, she returned to her own room to try to get a little more sleep.


	23. Thanksgiving in the Hollow

**November 26, 2003  
Yale University  
1525 hours**

"You're sure this is okay with your folks?" Marty confirmed, shutting the trunk of his sedan where the bags for Rory, Paris, and himself were now loaded.

"Yes, it's fine; we have more than enough room for the both of you." Rory assured him as he settled in the driver's seat, "They're already expecting Paris since her dad is away on business and Dad always winds up feeding half the town anyway; one more mouth won't be an issue. The only real impact there will be is that there will be less left over to split up at the end of the night."

"If you say so," Mary sighed, putting the car into gear and driving toward the highway Rory had pointed out.

"Grow a pair, Harris," Paris huffed from the back seat, "The Captain doesn't take well to weak men."

"'The Captain?'" Marty questioned, sending a worried look toward his girlfriend who was rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"Paris, leave him alone, he's nervous enough as it is." Rory playfully scolded her friend before laying a consoling hand on Marty's arm, "Don't listen to her, she's trying and failing, to be funny. My dad is a retired Marine Captain; he comes across gruff but is really just a big teddy bear."

"Who can kill you with his bare hands," Paris supplied.

"Paris!" Rory exclaimed, "That's it, no more talking from you until we get to the Hollow."

The rest of the drive was filled with Rory relaying stories about her town and family. By the time the trio parked in front of the diner, Marty had calmed down a bit; although he was still a bit nervous.

The bells above the diner's door rang out, announcing them. Almost immediately, two small figures flew from behind the curtain, calling out Rory's name as they launched themselves at her legs."

"Hey!" Came the scolding voice of their father from the kitchen, "What did I say about running and yelling in the diner?"

"Only do it when 'Stupid Taylor' is around?" Billy suggested hopefully. He was Luke's mini-me in nearly every way from looks to athletic ability but had also inherited his mother's mischievous personality.

"I believe my exact words were 'Don't do it.' William Richard Danes." Luke responded sternly.

"Uh-oh," Rory teased her brother softly as their father emerged from the kitchen, "Someone's in trouble now, Dad's pulling out the full names."

"You're not helping," Luke gave her a faux-stern look, hands on his hips, "Don't make me get after you Lorelai Amelia Leigh Gilmore Danes, and not only because you have the longest name in our families' histories."

Rory's brother and sister giggled from their positions bracketing her legs.

"Alright Thing 1 and Thing 2, let your sister go," The older man rounded the counter as his son moved out of the way, "It's my turn."

"Hi Daddy," Rory smiled as she was enfolded into the larger man's arms.

"Hey Princess," He kissed her head before releasing her, "How was your drive?"

"Aside from enforced silence for Paris, it was rather uneventful," She shrugged, "Dad, I'd like you to meet Marty Harris, my boyfriend."

"Pleased to meet you, sir." Marty extended his hand to the older man.

"It's Luke," He shook the offered hand, "Treat her well and you'll have no trouble with me."

"Yes, sir," Marty nodded, "Er, Luke."

"Good man," Luke nodded, "You been to the house yet?"

"Not yet, we figured everyone would be here, so we stopped here first." Rory explained as she picked up her sister who had not left her side, "Hey Miss Mimi, where's Mommy?"

"At work with Auntie Sookie," The little girl reported, "Helpin' make yummies for Tanksgivin'."

"So she's hiding from Michel, drinking coffee in the inn's kitchen, while Sookie makes desserts for dinner tomorrow." Rory translated.

"Uh-huh," The little girl nodded emphatically, her strawberry blonde pigtails bouncing with the movement, "Missed you, Sissy-face."

"I missed you too, Sister-face." Rory cooed at the little girl before kissing her on the cheek, "Where's Bubba?"

Mimi pointed toward the curtain that led to the diner's office and the play room Luke had set up for his children to play in while he worked.

"Okay, go play with Bubba," Rory instructed the girl as she let her down, "I have to show Marty and Paris their rooms."

"Mi go?" Mimi asked eagerly.

"No, Sweets," Rory shook her head, "You need to stay here and keep Daddy and Bubba company; you know how sad they get without their girls."

"'Kay," Mimi agreed before looking up at her father, "Daddy, Mi keep you comp'ny so you no sad."

"Thank you, Princess," Luke scooped up the 3-year-old, popping her on his hip.

"We'll be back in a little bit, just going to show Marty and Paris where they'll be staying," Rory kissed his scruffy cheek.

"Separate rooms," Luke warned.

"Dad!" Rory blushed.

"I don't care if you're 9, 19, or 49, if you are not married, you get separate rooms." His voice allowing for no argument.

"Do you think we should tell him that was the plan to begin with?" Paris finally spoke.

"No, let him think he won this one." Rory chuckled as they climbed back into the car for the block and a half drive to the Danes home.

 **November 26, 2003  
Danes Home  
2015 hours**

Dinner was over, Marty had been introduced around to half the town, complete with a goosing from Miss Patty, and now he and Rory were relaxing on the couch watching the news while Lorelai got the younger Danes children ready for bed. Paris had long since gone upstairs to talk on the phone with Jamie who had gone home to visit his own family over the holiday.

"See, I told you it wouldn't be too bad," Rory leaned against Marty's side.

"You could have warned me about Miss Patty," He chuckled good-naturedly, "I don't think I'll be able to sit right for a week."

The rumble of little feet on the stairs stopped Rory from responding as he younger siblings charged into the room. Billy climbed onto the couch, squeezing himself between Rory and Marty, as Rory lifted a freshly bathed Mimi onto her lap.

"Hey guys, ready for bed?" Rory asked, kissing her siblings on their cheeks as Marty watched the three Danes kids interact, "Okay, goodnight."

"No!" Cried the children.

"Mama said you would tell us our bedtime story," Billy explained, snuggling closer to his big sister before turning toward Marty, "Rory tells the best stories."

"She does, huh?" Marty smiled at his girlfriend, "This I gotta see."

"What story do you want?" Rory asked, "Cinderella, Huck Finn, Sleeping Beauty…"

"The New King!" Billy shouted.

"I don't think I've heard of that one." Marty mused.

"That's because it's exclusively known to the Danes children," Rory explained, "You two ready?"

She waited while Mimi snuggled into her chest and Billy squeezed under her arm before beginning the tale. "Once upon a time, but not so very long ago, there lived a beautiful princess named Lorelai…"

Marty was impressed at how the woman beside him was able to keep these two children enraptured as she wove the long and somewhat complicated tale. It wasn't until toward the end of the pair began to nod off.

"…The New King, Lucas, looked over his hamlet, seeing his beautiful wife Queen Lorelai, and their children Princess Rory, the wise, Prince Billy, the brave, and Princess Mimi, the adorable, along with all the residents of their small kingdom and smiled one of his rare smiles. 'Thanks, Dad,' He whispered, fore he knew that were it not for the kind hearted king that he would never have gotten his middle."

By the end of their story, both kids were softly snoring on their sister. "Do you need any help" Marty whispered.

"Yeah could you grab Thing 1," She asked, nodding toward her brother, "I've got Thing 2, I'll show you where they sleep."

Marty scooped the boy into his arms and waited until Rory stood and found her balance with the small girl propped against her shoulder. The foursome soon made their way toward the stairs which led to the kids' rooms. First down was Mimi, Rory gently lay the girl down, kissing her forehead and tucking her in. "Good night, Sweets," She cooed in the child's ear.

Next was Billy's room, since a desk took up the space where a lower bunk normally would have resided, Rory was grateful that Marty was tall, and strong, enough to lift the sleeping boy's form up to the elevated bed. Climbing the ladder, she repeated the same routine of a forehead kiss and tucking in, "Goodnight, Sweet Prince."

Quietly closing the door behind her, she met Marty in the hall, "Hi," She smiled, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Hi," He smiled down at her before interlinking his fingers with hers as they headed back down to the living room, "So that was your family's story?"

"Slightly fictionalized, but yes." Rory confirmed as they sat down on the sofa again.

"Luke isn't your real dad?"

"He is my real dad," Rory shook her head, "Just not my biological father. He adopted me shortly after he married my mom, but I've considered him my dad for longer than that. Apparently the first time I called him 'Daddy' was when I had the chicken pox. Mom can't cook and all I would eat were mashed potatoes."

"Mashy flatoes?" Marty guessed.

"Yeah," Rory smiled, "One night my fever got really high; he drove Mom and me to the hospital and stayed with us, I didn't want to leave his arms. At one point he'd gone to get Mom coffee and I woke up, crying for my daddy, no matter how Mom tried to comfort me, I wouldn't calm down until I was back in Dad's arms."

"Have you two always been close?"

"Ever since I was five and looking to bury my pet caterpillar." Rory shrugged.

"Did you know his dad?" Marty asked thinking back over the story she had told.

"Yes, Grandpa William was friends with the woman who took Mom and me in." Rory explained, "He passed away when I was four. We met Dad a year later."

"You didn't even see each other at the funeral?" Marty questioned, "I'm assuming there was a funeral considering how well loved he seemed to be in your story."

"There was, but for some reason, we didn't come until after the funeral was over." Rory shrugged, "I remember Mom made us wait until everyone was gone before we left flowers at his grave. We used to do that every year, apparently Dad did too for both his parents, after he and Mom got together, we started going as a family. Dad would tell me about Grandma, now I share my memories of Grandpa along with him when he and Mom take us to visit their graves."

"You're very lucky your family is so close." Marty nodded, "Mine… mine is a mess. We don't spend much time together, but when we do there is always this weird tension between my dad and his brother, no one seems to know why."

"It's probably something that happened a long time ago," Rory shrugged, "Probably was some little thing that was blown out of proportion."

"Yeah, maybe," Marty sighed, "I think I'm going to head up to bed, dinner made me tired and we have to get back up to school tomorrow."

"Okay, goodnight." Rory gave him a soft kiss and watched him head up the stairs before wandering into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She added a packet of cocoa mix to the mug and stirred as she looked over the pile of mail that was on the counter, smiling as she saw the dusty manila envelope that had her name and Stars Hollow address printed on it in familiar scroll.

She took the envelope and her mug back into the living room; settling on the couch she slowly opened the package, smiling as a book and a smaller envelope with just her name on it. She flipped through the book, chuckling as she noticed the familiar margin notes within the tome. The story was one that was familiar to both her and the man who sent it, evidenced by the note that was written on the inside of the front cover. _Our last copy was full, figured it was time for a blank slate for our thoughts. ~Dodger_

She opened the envelope to find one of his brief letters, something she'd grown accustomed to after 9/11 while he was working at the Pentagon and again since he'd deployed a few months before. It was rare for him to find enough time to write the lengthy letters that he did when he was still in high school. They usually just shared their thoughts by way of the margin notes in the books they passed back and forth, Rory had long since picked up Jess' habit of writing in the margins of her books. When a letter did finally come, it was often little more than observances of what he was experiencing and assurances that he and his buddies were safe. This letter was much of the same, his unit had taken some loses when a convoy had come up on the wrong side of a roadside bomb, but he and his friends had been further back and had only suffered superficial injuries. _I hate to tell you but, I am no longer the pretty boy you remember. I now have a scar on my left cheek below my eye and one on my shoulder._ He'd written, Rory rolled her eyes at the comment but also sent up a silent prayer for the families and men who'd been worse affected.

Setting the letter aside, she grabbed a pen from the drawer of one of the end tables and settled in with the newer copy of Oliver Twist to read, and add her own thoughts to the margins alongside her cousin's. Sometime during the night, she fell asleep, that's where her family found her the next morning, laid out on the couch, the book open, face down, on her chest and a pen in her hand. Lorelai was surprised that Marty didn't have a negative reaction to the fact his girlfriend had just spent the entire night focused on another man.

"It's okay, Lorelai, I know about Jess." Marty assured her, "She told me all about him and their correspondence when we first met. She's really proud of him and shares his letters and the books they exchange with me."

"You really are the perfect guy, aren't you?" Lorelai smiled up at him. After a derisive snort from her husband she added, "One of the good ones like my wonderful, handsome, patient Hubby… speaking of wonderful, can I get some coffee oh fantabulous Hubby of mine?"

"That stuff'll kill ya," Luke groused, heading into the kitchen.

"That's Luke for, 'Right away my gorgeous, irresistible, darling wife.'" Lorelai joked.

"We probably should let her sleep a little longer," Marty spoke softly, dropping the afghan from the back of the sofa over his slumbering girlfriend, "I'll wake her after breakfast to pack up to head back to school."

"You have much to learn about the care and feeding of a Danes Dame." Lorelai shook her head in mock sadness before heading into the kitchen only to return with two steaming mugs of their favorite life-giving elixir. "Watch this," She gave Marty a smirk and slowly waved one of the cups near the sleeping girl's nose.

"Mmm, coffee," Rory sighed, eyes fluttering as she awoke and sat up to accept the mug, "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Yep," Marty smiled, taking a seat next to her, "So, how is he?"

"Good," Rory nodded, taking a sip of the coffee in her hands, "He can now say he has battle wounds, apparently the convoy he was in ran afoul of a roadside bomb and he was clipped in the cheek and shoulder, some other guys in his unit weren't so lucky."

"Oh my God," Lorelai gasped, "You're sure he's okay?"

"He's fine, he said that he has a couple scars but is otherwise no worse for wear." Rory assured her.

"We all knew the risks when he signed his commissioning papers." Luke reminded them from the doorway to the kitchen, "That being said, I'm glad he's okay. Breakfast is ready."

"We'll be right in." Lorelai smiled up at him, "So breakfast and then you three are out of here?"

"Pretty much, Paris and I have to get back to the paper, and Marty has internship hours to complete in New Haven." Rory reminded her as they headed into the kitchen where the younger kids and Paris were already tucking into the breakfast offerings.

"I'll miss you, Sweets," Lorelai sighed.

"I'll miss you too, Mom." Rory smiled back at her mom as they joined the others in grabbing the eggs, pancakes, and turkey bacon that was set on the table, enjoying the last few hours they would have together before they had to separate again.


	24. Just Friends

**Rory's Dorm  
December 13, 2003  
2354 hours**

Rory had been quiet and contemplative the entire night; even the time they spent in the car between her dorm suite and the party was spent in silence. They had just returned from the Gilmores' Christmas party, but instead of being her normal, engaging self, Rory barely spoke three words to anyone at any given time, including Marty. As soon as she unlocked the door, Rory disappeared into her bedroom and closed the door behind her. He took solace in the fact that she wasn't upset with him, after three months of friendship and a month and a half of dating, he knew the difference between angry Rory and contemplative Rory. With a heavy sigh, he dropped down on the end of the couch, removed his tie, and loosened the top collar button of his shirt.

Fifteen minutes later, Rory finally emerged. Her hair was pulled up in a messy topknot, her face cleaned of all make up. She wore an old Navy t-shirt that was several sizes too big, the one she'd admitted to stealing from her dad before she left home, and grey cotton pajama pants. Her cow slippers mooed softly as she made her way to the couch and sat on the opposite end from where he'd perched.

"Are you ready to talk about it?" He asked gently, trying not to let on that he knew what was coming.

"Marty I…" She started, "I don't want to hurt you."

"I know," Marty gave her a comforting smile. "I don't like seeing you hurting either. I'm guessing you're wanting for us to go back to being friends?"

"Yeah," She sighed looking guilty "Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, I'm okay with it." He assured her, "Honestly I would have suggested it after the holidays if you hadn't. No one likes to break up over the holidays."

"Oh jeeze, I didn't even think about that," She looked destressed and started crying, "I can't believe I didn't think about that!"

"Rory," He called her name trying to get her attention, "Rory, it's fine, we can still do stuff together as friends. I like you and all, and you're very pretty, but it's not fair to either of us to pretend that we are more than what we are."

"I agree." Rory nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes, "I'd like to be friends."

"Me too," Marty agreed, "But what I'd like even more right now is a shower and my bed. Your grandfather trapped me in his study with all his cigar-chomping cronies tonight and I smell like an ashtray."

"I'm sorry," Rory giggled, "Go, take your shower. I'll see you later, I think I'm going to go sack out myself."

"Alright, goodnight Friend Rory," He stood, a smirk on his face.

"Good night, Friend Marty," She rolled her eyes as she stood and gave him a hug. She stood at her door and watched as he climbed the stairs to his room like she had all those months ago.

A sense of relief swept over her as she shut the door and headed back to her room. She was worried Marty would have taken it hard but was glad that he was on the same page as she was about their relationship. He was a great guy, but he wasn't meant to be _her_ great guy, just her great friend.

She settled on her bed and grabbed the book that was on her night stand, it was a copy of _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_ that Jess had sent her a week before and it was taking her longer than usual to finish the book. Not just because of the fact she had been preparing for the finals that had just finished the previous day, although that had been part of it, but the book was more full of margin notes than usual. Apparently the misadventures of young Tom struck Jess as poetic considering the life he had come from seven years before. He had also drawn some interesting connections between his assignment and Tom's life.

" _I even got a recruit who arrived a couple weeks ago to paint a wall that I was supposed to do. Some call it evasion of orders, I call it delegation._ " He'd written, making Rory smile. She missed him terribly and it seemed like so long ago that they'd danced with each other at her debut. Once again, she tried to tamp down the attraction she'd felt toward him, which was growing increasingly hard to do as time went on. She loved Luke and was glad that he was her dad, but sometimes she wished that Jess wasn't related to him.

Even is Jess wasn't related, it's not like they could have a normal relationship in the traditional sense of him picking her up for a date after she'd spent all afternoon getting ready. He was deployed and would be for another 15 months. Sighing, she put the book aside after reading a few pages. Despite never being a religious person, she'd fallen into the habit of praying for his safety and the safety of his team since the day he went to DC to help out at the Pentagon. _Please watch over them and bring them home safe. I don't know what I would do if I never saw my Dodger again._


	25. It's All Gone Wrong

**September 10, 2005  
Bridgeport Municipal Courthouse  
2248 hours**

Rory heard the cold bars slide closed behind her as she wearily dragged herself to sit on one of the narrow benches along the wall. She could hear the guys carousing down the hall but it was dead silent in her nearly empty cell. She sighed trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong, she knew that stealing the yacht was a bad idea when she had suggested it, but felt she needed an outlet for her frustration and heartbreak.

 _"You don't have 'it.'"_ The voice of Mitchum Huntzberger rang in her head, while on some level she knew it wasn't true, she couldn't help but take it to heart. The man owned nearly half of all printed and broadcast news organizations in the country and knew what it took to be a first class journalist. If he didn't see potential in her, there wasn't any to begin with, she allowed herself to accept the lie because it was easier than fighting for herself.

Somehow over the year or so that she had been dating Logan Huntzberger, she had lost sight of herself, her mom knew it, her dad knew it, her friends knew it, hell even she knew it but she had been taken in by the charismatic party boy. Life with him was exciting, from the seemingly constant parties to the stunts he pulled on a near daily basis either with his friends or the Life and Death Brigade. The Brigade was how they'd first met, or at least how they first got to know each other; like most Yale students, Rory had heard the whispers about the thrill seeking secret society and wanted to do a story on it. It seemed to be entirely populated by the children of the elite who could afford the travel and set up for each, increasingly ridiculous stunt.

Knowing that she would need an in, she begrudgingly allowed her editor, Doyle, to pair her with the Huntzberger heir who was only on the paper due to who his father was rather than any true interest in journalism. The man had annoyed her to no end to that point, aggravated further by the fact that he was the socialite that kept her friend Marty's tuition paid with his constant partying. She found him arrogant, rude, and all around abhorrent; yet over the time it took to fully entrench herself in the Life and Death Brigade, she found herself focusing on some of his better qualities. He could be charming when he wanted to be, generous to a fault when the situation warranted, passionate when motivated, and a damn good writer when he actually got down to it. He had the talent needed to be a good journalist, but lacked the desire to be a newsman.

Before she knew it, they'd become friends. She felt a strong attraction to him, but knew that he wasn't interested in anything more than casual hookups with other women. Even knowing this, she allowed herself to be pulled into his world and his influence, to the point that she eventually found herself entertaining the idea of being friends with benefits with him. To that end he wound up being her first; for as self-centered as he could be most of the time, she was surprised at how gentle and patient he was with her at the beginning, especially their first time. She found herself smiling softly at the memory of the concerned look on his face as he checked on her every few moments to make sure she was okay with what was going on. She appreciated the fact he seemed to realize that it would be uncomfortable and slightly painful for her at first, although she didn't want to think about how many virgins he'd deflowered over his lifetime.

They'd continued their casual relationship for a while before Rory realized that she couldn't deal with the jealousy that came from sharing Logan's attention with other women and ended things with him. A couple weeks and several attempts at wooing her attentions later, Logan did the one thing that no one expected of him, he asked Rory to be his girlfriend. Things were going well for them, and they had eventually moved in together to the spacious apartment Logan owned near campus. They ran into a bit of a snag when it came to their respective families, however. While the elder Gilmores loved the fact that Logan and Rory were together, the rest of their families were less than impressed.

Luke and Lorelai worried over Logan's influence on their daughter between the partying and the wild lifestyle, she seemed to have lost her focus on the future. Her drive seemed to be gone, and she wasn't getting published as often as she once was in the paper. It was like she was, over time, being reformed into the perfect society girlfriend who would eventually become the perfect society wife who did nothing but plan parties and keep the bed warm for her man, and that worried her parents who were so used to her singular focus when it came to all things journalism.

The Huntzbergers on the other hand didn't like the relationship for another reason. While they admitted the Gilmores had a place in society, they felt that Rory was beneath them. Not only because she wasn't raised in society but because as powerful as the Gilmores were, they held nothing close to the influence that the Huntzbergers did. A point that Logan's mother and grandfather made abundantly clear the one time the couple had joined the family for dinner. As a mia culpa for the events of said dinner, Mitchum had offered Rory an internship at one of his papers.

The position had been nothing more than being a glorified gofer, at no point did Mitchum ever review her writing ability before pulling her aside and telling her that she didn't have what it takes to make a good journalist. His judgement of her seemed to be the straw that broke the figurative camel's back. That evening she and Logan were supposed to be attending an engagement party for Logan's sister, Honor, however after hearing a great many stories, and participating in some of Logan's exploits, Rory found herself stealing a yacht along with Logan, Colin, and Finn which ultimately led her to where she now sat.

"Rory," She lifted her head at her mother's voice, as cool as the steel bars that surrounded her, "Let's go, your father's waiting at home."

Rory simply nodded and walked through the door when the warder opened it for her. She silently followed her mother as they went through the process of checking her out of the jail, signing for her belongings, and receiving information about when and where the arraignment hearing would be.

The drive home seemed to last an eternity, both women refusing to speak to the other. Lorelai, who was so mad that she could spit nails, didn't want to say something she didn't mean and Rory was too embarrassed over the situation to say a word. The entirety of the drive was spent deep in thought, Lorelai's head was spinning trying to figure out what needed to be done next to deal with the situation, one she never thought Rory would ever have to deal with. Rory was reevaluating her choices and trying to figure out what to do from here. Stuck in a hopeless spiral, Rory came to a decision as they pulled up to the nearly dark house.

Luke was sitting in the kitchen when the women arrived home, contemplating the situation they found themselves in and debating drinking the contents of the mug he played with on the table. He looked up as he heard the door creak open and two of the women he loved more than his own life trudged through the door. Taking a quick look at his daughter, he sighed sadly, she looked as if she'd just been put through the ringer. He stood and wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh Daddy," Rory sobbed into his t-shirt.

"Shhh," He soothed her, "We'll discuss it in the morning."

Rory silently nodded and headed up the stairs to her own room while Luke turned his focus to his wife whose eyes were rimmed in red with unshed tears, her face a mix of anger and sorrow.

"C'mere," He pulled her into his arms as she let the emotions waring in her go. Luke held the crying woman securely in his arms as all the pain and tension flowed out of her, "It'll all be okay, you'll see."

"I never…" Lorelai started before shaking her head, "Why her, why this?"

"I don't know," Luke ran his hand lightly up and down his wife's back, "We'll figure this out just like we've figured out everything else."

"But it's Rory," Lorelai protested, "Of all of us, she is the one I would least expect to wind up being arrested, and for grand theft no less. I don't know what we're going to do."

"First things first, we're going to go to bed and try to get some sleep," Luke gently guided her toward the stairs, "Then tomorrow we'll sit down and discuss this rationally and calmly."

"How do you expect me to sleep at a time like this?" Lorelai challenged.

"Likely the same as me, very difficultly." Luke sighed as they entered their room. "This has been a long day for all of us, we're all tired, a little rest would do us a bit of good."

"Okay," She sighed as she stripped off her jeans and t-shirt, exchanging them for her favorite flying coffee cup pajamas, and slid into bed and into the arms of her husband.

As dawn broke the following morning, Rory stirred, the memories of the night before rushing over her. She dreaded having to go downstairs and confront her parents who were no doubt still livid over having to get her out of jail the night before. With a weary groan, she got dressed, pulling on a pair of comfortable jeans and an old Yale sweatshirt before heading downstairs.

Luke and Lorelai were already sitting at the kitchen table by the time Rory came down the stairs. "Sit, I'll get you some coffee," Luke instructed, walking toward the coffee maker and pouring some of the dark liquid into an oversized mug before setting it down in front of his daughter who now sat across the table from her mother. "So you want to tell us what happened last night?" He queried, taking his seat at the head of the table between the two women.

"I did something really stupid," Rory admitted, answered by a derisive snort from her mother.

"Lorelai," Luke warned.

"I let something that Mr. Huntzberger said get to me," Rory spoke softly, "Later when Logan and I were heading toward Honor's engagement party the idea, dumb as it was, struck me that we could take a yacht for a joy ride. I knew Logan and the guys had done it before, and I was feeling a little rebellious I guess. Before I knew it the police had boarded and arrested us."

"What did he say?" Luke prompted.

"Who?"

"Mr. Huntzberger," He supplied.

"He pulled me aside yesterday after my internship ended and told me that while I was 'A lovely girl,' I didn't have what it took to make it in journalism and that I would do well to figure out what I want to do with my life." Rory sighed.

"Has he ever read anything you've written?" Lorelai finally spoke.

"Not to my knowledge, although he may have read some of the articles from the Daily News, but I doubt it. He's more of a Times and Wall Street Journal type, if he read anything in my paper it would be the occasional article that Logan wrote." Rory shrugged.

"Then it's entirely possible that he has no idea what he's talking about." Lorelai proposed.

"I don't know, I mean, he didn't get to where he is today by not knowing what he's doing." Rory sighed, defeated, "Maybe he's right, maybe I don't have 'it,' maybe I should find something else to do with my life. Dad you're hiring aren't you?"

"No, you're not going to waste your life away working at the diner." Luke shook his head.

"Why not? You work at the diner," She challenged.

"I own the diner, it's different. Besides, I've already had my chance to make my mark on the world through the Marines and WitSec, and now through Jess and you and your brother and sister." Luke gave her a gentle look, "Now my job is to encourage you all to do your best and make your own impact. I'm not going to let you take the easy way out of this."

"I want to take some time to figure out what I want to do with my life." Rory looked at both her parents.

"Sure, I get that, just finish your classes for the semester and you can dabble with others come Spring." Luke nodded.

"No, I mean I want to drop out of Yale so I can think this over." Rory sighed.

"Like Hell you are," Lorelai's voice rose. "You are not dropping out of school, you love school."

"Not anymore," Rory shook her head, "I mean what's the point? I'm never going to be a journalist."

"There are other programs, well over a hundred on campus alone," Lorelai protested, "No one forced you to go into journalism, but that has been your passion since you used to watch Kermit give those news reports on Sesame Street. I know your pride has taken a hit because of that idiot who can't see past the tip of his nose, but Rory it isn't you to quit."

"I quit ballet," Rory offered.

"That's different, you had no aptitude for it." Lorelai countered, "You do have what it takes to make it as a journalist, if you didn't have some kind of potential, do you think all those newspapers would have picked up the article you wrote after 9/11?"

"You don't get it Mom," Rory stood, nearly shouting, "I am dropping out of Yale, at least for a few months until I can get my head on straight."

"Sitting in class looking directly at your teachers should straighten it out well enough." Lorelai's voice rose to match her daughters.

Luke looked between the stubborn women who continued to bicker, not knowing how to settle the argument. Both had their stubborn faces on and he knew there was no getting between them when they were like this, he just hoped it would blow over soon. He was shaken from his own thoughts when he heard his wife issue an ultimatum.

"If you drop out, you can't stay here." Lorelai yelled.

"Fine." Rory shouted, "I'll go pack, I'll stay with Grandma and Grandpa until Logan gets back. He's leaving for a trip tomorrow." With that the younger woman stormed up the stairs followed closely by the sound of her door slamming.

Lorelai broke down, slowly sitting back into her seat. "What just happened?"

"It's not going to happen." Luke assured her, resting his hand on hers, "She'll calm down and see reason in a little bit, just watch she'll be back in classes come Monday. If she's not, I will make her go to class, sit with her, make sure she doesn't leave. We could rotate even you take her one day and I'll take her the next. It'll all work out."

The sound of the front door slamming echoed through the house, the couple looked up just in time to see Rory's Prius pull off and head toward the highway toward Hartford.

"You sure about that?" Lorelai asked.

"I doubt your parents will let her get away with it either," Luke spoke softly, silently praying he was right, "She'll be back before you know it."

"I hope you're right." Lorelai sighed.

About an hour later the phone rang, "Danes." Luke answered.

"Lucas," Came the voice of his mother-in-law, "Would you please put Lorelai on the phone?"

"Just a sec," He responded before calling for his wife and handing her the receiver, "It's your mom."

"Mother?"

"Lorelai," Emily's no-nonsense voice came over the line, "I just wanted you to know Rory is here, and she's safe. We got her calmed down and settled in the pool house. She said you kicked her out."

"We didn't kick her out, per se," Lorelai sighed, "She was talking all this nonsense about dropping out of school, and I got mad and told her she had to go to school or couldn't stay with us. I didn't mean it, but the words were out before I could stop them."

"Well, she'd entitled to some time off, she's worked so hard in school." Emily countered, "Your father and I discussed it with her and we've come to an agreement that she could take some time off to deal with the little incident from last night and any repercussions spawning from it while she gave some thought as to her future. You are, of course, free to see her whenever you want, but we ask you give her a little time."

"Just who do you think you are?" Lorelai demanded, "I am her mother, I can see her whenever I damn well please."

"I am her concerned grandparent and your mother," Emily responded, "And you will do as I have requested. Good bye, Lorelai."

"Ugh!" Lorelai screamed as she slammed down the phone.

"Bad news?"

"Yeah Eva and Adolph have decided to take her in and have requested we leave her alone for a few days."

"May not be a bad idea to just let her be." Luke shrugged. Lorelai gave him a death stare, "I'm not saying forever, but maybe she just needs a few days to calm down and reflect on what all's happened over the past 48 hours."

"I guess you're right," Lorelai deflated, "She'll hate living with them if she's anything like me, I doubt she'll last a week there before she comes back begging to move home and go back to school."


	26. Postal Exchanges and Prodigal Daughters

**October 20, 2005  
Camp Leatherneck  
1635 hours**

It was another hot day on the base, it had been fairly quiet the last few days, but Jess knew that could change in an instant. Taking another drink from his canteen, he stepped into the postal annex, hoping that he would finally hear from Rory. Her letters had dropped off a few months ago with no explanation.

"You got anything for me?" He asked the reservist who was manning the desk.

"Yes sir," The younger man nodded before retrieving a package from one of the bins behind him. "Just arrived today; whatever it is, it's heavy."

"Thanks," Jess gave the man a small smile. His heart sank a little when he saw his uncle's Stars Hollow address rather than the New Haven address that Rory had been previously writing from.

Returning to his rack, he opened the box, finding various items that his family sent on a fairly regular basis including socks, junk food, and art work and letters from his younger cousins. On top of it all was a pristine white envelope with his name scrawled across it in what he recognized as his aunt's hand. He felt a sense of foreboding over what information the letter might contain.

Taking a deep breath, he slid his finger under the flap and pulled out the paper concealed within. As his eyes swept over the page, his suspicious were confirmed. He didn't know what he could do, but he knew he had to do something.

Opening his footlocker, he pulled out some paper, pens, and his small writing desk. With a sigh, he let the words flow through him and onto the page. Looking over what he had wrote and finding it sufficient, he folded it and sealed an envelope around it.

Neatly writing Rory's name and a familiar Hartford address, he returned to the annex to send his response on the next mail transport.

 **October 24, 2005  
Gilmore Mansion  
1515 hours**

It had been a long day for Rory, dealing with the politics at the DAR where she'd been working the past few months since Mitchum Huntzberger had dealt that fatal blow to her journalistic career that had led to the downward spiral that had resulted in her cutting contact with her parents, living with her grandparents, doing community service when she wasn't working.

Never in her life did she think she would be living this life. A small tension headache throbbed behind her eyes as she let herself into her grandparents' home.

"Good afternoon, Miss Danes," The new maid greeted her.

"Hello, Marta," Rory gave the other woman a small smile.

"Some mail came for you today," Marta informed her, "It's on your writing desk. I also left some aspirin and a glass of water for you."

 _Oh, she's good,_ Rory thought, "Thank you, Marta."

Handing her coat to the maid, she headed up to her room. After figuring out that she had been spending the night at Logan's place rather than Paris' her grandmother had demanded she move out of the pool house and into the room that had been set up for her when she was in junior high. At least her grandmother had taken down the boy-band posters that had at one time adorned the walls, but the rest of the room looked as if a floral and lace decorating bomb had gone off within the room.

She closed the door and slipped off her designer pumps with a sigh. Rory swallowed down the pills as she sifted through the correspondence on her desk. About half way through, she recognized the handwriting on one of the envelopes. The familiar scrawl sent her back to simpler times. Swallowing the rest of the water with a brief wish that the glass held something stronger, she took the letter back to her bed, settling back on her pillows, she slowly opened the missive. Partly worried and partly excited to read the contents, she let her eyes slowly take in the words.

 _Rory,_

 _This letter is one of the hardest I've ever written to you, in part because I know you so well, but also because I don't recognize the person you've become and fear my previous statement no longer holds true. I will spare us both the pleasantries and get right down to it._

 _As I haven't heard from you for several months, I do not know how you view of the events that led to me receiving a panicked letter from your mom. To say that I was surprised by what she told me is the understatement of the year. I found myself re-reading the letter to make sure it was the same Rory Danes I know; I'm still not sure._

 _What happened to you? I don't even know where to start. You stole a yacht; that has got to be the influence of that blond dick, your mom called him a pretentious, pompous, play-boy (gotta love her alliteration); I prefer my version. He's no good for you._

 _What's more, you're living with your grandparents, working at the DAR,_ _and_ _on top of it all, you dropped out of Yale! Why did you drop out of Yale?! It was your dream to become the next Christine Amanpour; what happened? This isn't you; the Rory I know would never give upon her dreams._

 _You believed in me when everyone in that odd little social experiment of a town didn't, so I'm going to return the favor. You may not like how I'm going to do this, but frankly I don't give a shit as I shouldn't have to be telling you what you should already know._

 _Get off your ass, quit the DAR, get your skinny butt back to school, and the fuck out of your grandparents' house. Call your parents, your mom is probably driving Luke crazy, and for the love of God, drop the blond dick at Yale. He doesn't deserve you and he certainly doesn't respect you._

 _I'm stepping down from my soapbox now, by the next letter I get from your folks, there damn well better be reference of these changes being in the works or already done. I will take leave and bodily drag your ass to class if I have to._

 _Okay now I'm done,_

 _~Jess_

 _P.S. Happy birthday, it was a couple weeks ago wasn't it?_

By the time Rory had finished the letter, it was already wrinkled in spots from her tears. Not because of the harsh way Jess had expressed his disappointment, but because she knew every word was true.

She knew she had changed, and not for the better. Dropping out of school had been one of the worst decisions she had ever made, second only to stealing that yacht. She missed her parents and her brother and sister and couldn't remember consciously deciding to cease contact with them.

Putting first things first, she called to schedule a meeting with the Dean of Admissions to beg for her spot back. Next she pulled out some stationary and penned her resignation letter to the DAR. Lastly, she packed up the few items from her former life and waited for her grandparents to go to dinner and snuck her bags down to her car. Leaving her sweater set and slacks on the bed, she changed into her jeans and Yale sweatshirt.

She left a note on her grandfather's desk and slipped out to her car, thanking every deity she could think of that her electric engine made no noise upon ignition; allowing for her quick, and quiet, get away.

 **October 24, 2005  
Luke's Diner  
2005 hours**

Luke sighed as he wiped down the counter. He looked at his wife who sat with their two children, a small smile graced his lips at the sight. He knew he should feel blessed, he was married to the woman of his dreams who had given him two beautiful children and put up with his idiosyncrasies, but he still felt incomplete, like something – or someone – was missing.

"Kind of a sucky birthday, huh?" His wife asked, sliding between him and the counter before wrapping her arms around his waist between his henley and flannel shirt as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"A little," He admitted, "Not that I'm not grateful for what you and the kids did."

Lorelai nodded her understanding, "I know, Babe. It's not the same without…"

"Rory!" Luke cut her off, his attention captured by the figure in the doorway.

"Yeah," Lorelai agreed.

"No," Luke shook his head, a grin on his face as he turned his wife around, pointing at the young woman who gave her parents a small wave and smile.

Lorelai was in shock, so much so that she thought she was dreaming. It wasn't until Billy and Mimi called out their sister's name and pounced on the older girl that broke her from her reverie, "Rory?"

"Hi Mom," Rory greeted her quietly.

"You're back?" Luke asked, rounding the counter.

"I'm back." Rory smiled up at him as he enfolded her in his arms.

"Rory?" Lorelai asked again, still in disbelief, "You're back? You're really back?"

"Yes, I'm really, truly back" Rory confirmed.

"Is everything fixed?" Luke asked.

"No, but it will be." Rory informed them as they all settled around one of the larger tables. "Although you might be getting a phone call from a very angry Emily Gilmore." She added sheepishly, "I kinda snuck out while they went to dinner. I left a note in Grandpa's study."

"You are _so_ my daughter." Lorelai laughed, "So is one of the things you need to fix a place to live because we can offer you a lovely room at the Danes residence, complete with wall-to-wall bookshelves, and annoying younger siblings."

"Are you saying you haven't turned my room into another sewing or play room?"

"Nope, it's all yours for as long as you want it." Lorelai smiled at her oldest child, "So long as you never leave Mommy again."

"Counter offer;" Rory smirked, "I get use of the room and promise to not fall off the planet again?"

"Counter offer accepted," Luke cut in before Lorelai could counter the counter offer, earning him a pouting look from his wife. "Call it your birthday present to your old man."

"I'm good with that." Rory grinned.

"Good," Luke nodded, "Let's get cleaned up in here so we can close down and get Rory re-settled at home."

With practiced efficiency, the Danes clan set about the tasks to close down the diner. Mimi wiped down the tables while Billy bussed and washed their plates before refilling the salt and pepper shakers. Rory made quick work of sweeping and mopping before helping Mimi with the last of the tables and put up the chairs. Lorelai busied herself behind the counter with cleaning and prepping the coffee maker for the next day and refilled the ketchup bottles. Luke stayed in the kitchen to shut down the grill and fryer. An hour later, Luke and Billy were walking across the square while the girls piled into Rory's car to make the short journey around the block to their home.

Since Rory didn't keep much from the time she lived with her grandparents, it didn't take long to get her things put back into her room. That night she went to bed with a smile on her lips for the first time in a long time, her mom snuggled against her back and her baby sister curled against her chest. The chuckle and eye-rolling shake of her father's head as he looked in on his girls didn't escape her notice. As she drifted off to sleep with one thought at the forefront of her mind, _It's good to be home._


	27. Truncheon Books

**Philadelphia, PA  
April 16, 2008  
0900 hours**

Rory stepped out into the cool spring morning, grateful the weather and her schedule allowed her to dress down more than what she'd been allowed the past few weeks. She had nothing to do until that evening, so she decided to do a little exploring. First on the list was to find a decent cup of coffee.

Checking one last time that her hotel key, ID, and debit card were securely in the front pocket of her favorite jeans, she stuck her hands into the kangaroo pouch of her hoodie and randomly chose a direction. She'd been walking for about 15 minutes when she smelled the sweet aroma of fresh brewed goodness.

Her nose led her to a small hole in the wall; the building itself was three stories tall and looked as if it had once been a townhouse but had been renovated at least a couple times over to serve the changing neighborhood. There were books of varying color and size displayed in the large picture windows that flanked either side of a dark red door. Above the door was a large brown sign with lettering which read, "Truncheon Books and Café."

Rory smiled as the sound of the bell announced her arrival. The sound reminded her of home, of the many times she had walked into her dad's diner over the years, always met with the heady smell of fresh brewed coffee. She could imagine her mom, propped up on the stool she'd claimed as her own all those years before, Rory's younger brother and sister seated on either side of her, begging, pleading, and flirting with her husband until he gave in and poured her a cup. Rory smirked at the image as she ordered her own cup of plain java from the barista behind the counter.

Taking a sip, she was surprised at how good it was. _Uh oh, I think someone figured out Dad's blend._ She thought to herself as she perused the stacks. She was pleased to find an eclectic mix of classic literature interspersed with newer works by lesser or unknown authors.

About an hour, and a few cups of coffee later, she had made her way down as far as the M's. She ran the tip of her finger over the bindings as she read the titles, picking up any that caught her eye and reading the summary before placing the books reverently back on the shelf. As she continued her browsing, a thin black book with red lettering leapt out at her.

"The Subsect by J. Mariano." She read aloud to herself, wondering how many Marianos had the first initial J. The blurb on the back intrigued her, touting a deeper look into the impact of 9/11 and the Taliban on one Iraqi family. Spotting a small seating area made up of mismatched tables, chairs, and sofas, she made her way over. Finding an overstuffed chair that looked just perfect for curling up with a good book, she set her coffee down on the nearby coffee table and tucking her feet underneath herself, she dove head first into the small novel.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but before she knew it, she was finishing the last pages and looking for the Author's page; curious about the author and hoped that the clues within would tell her more. Rory was so enraptured with the book that she didn't notice the tall dark-clad figure that approached her.

"You know it's generally considered rude to read a book without first buying it." A masculine voice chuckled. "This isn't a library, you know."

"Oh don't you worry," Rory retorted, not looking up from the pages as she flipped backwards and forwards still in pursuit of the author page. "I plan to buy this, just as soon as I find the darn author's page."

"There isn't one," The voice informed her, "And you're bending the binding."

"Good thing I'll be purchasing it soon, now isn't it?" She answered smartly.

"Book tease." The voice teased.

"Shut up Dodger," Rory responded, not fully comprehending the exchange in her literary haze. The young man stood patiently while her focus slowly turned from the book to him. "Jess?"

As the mists cleared from her eyes, she found herself looking straight into the rich chocolate-colored eyes of none other than her dad's nephew. The sight of him nearly took her breath away. He wore a black, long sleeved oxford shirt that had been rolled up to just below his elbow. The shirt clung tight enough to hint at the strong arms and torso hidden beneath. The dark denim jeans that were slung low on his hips were held up by a black belt. On his feet were his ever present black converse. Rory wasted no time leaping from her seat and into his arms.

"Hey Rory," He embraced the girl, "It's been a while."

"Almost six years." Rory nodded, "What are you doing here?"

"I live here." He shrugged, releasing her before taking a seat beside her. "A couple buddies of mine from the Academy and I share ownership of this place. For some reason the Marines decided to post Chris, Matt, and me in Philly doing recruiting. Something about rotating officers' tours or some such nonsense. I guess three straight tours to the Middle East requires that we spend some time state side."

"So they sent you to Philly…" Rory looked up at him quizzically as she took her seat, Jess sitting in the chair placed perpendicularly next to hers, "How long are you going to be here?"

"This tour is about 18 months, so we've got another six months or so to go." Jess shrugged, "We were all assigned to the same office and take turns rotating through the high schools and junior colleges around town. By the time this tour is up, our contracts will be too."

"Okay," Rory nodded, her investigative juices percolating, "But that still doesn't explain why you are part owner of a bookstore and publishing house."

"A little after our last overseas tour ended, the guys and I were awaiting our next orders. Since it was the weekend we decided to check out a bar we'd heard about a little ways off base." Jess leaned back in his chair and taking a breath, "We knew that our contracts would be up in about another two years at that point and we were debating re-upping our contract or moving on. Over the years, they'd seen a little of what I'd been writing, observations and such, research and what not when we were on tour."

"Research?" Rory leaned toward her friend. "What kind of research?"

"Interviews of the people we met on our various tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the little villages we'd been through." Jess explained, "You see, I wanted to get their view on why our countries were in the position that we were in. Here in the US, so many people think that Muslims in general are evil people with a deep hatred of our society, when in reality it was just an extremist subsect with some really screwed up ideas."

"Now the title makes sense." Rory nodded, allowing the pieces of information to fall into place in her head. "So, it's non-fiction?"

"Oh no, it's fiction." Jess leaned forward, "Or at least it's a fictionalized account of the true story. I figured if conspiracy theorists could make up shit about what happened that day, so could I."

"I see." Rory smiled, thumbing through the book, "So you wrote a book."

"It's really just a short novel." Jess shrugged modestly.

"But you wrote a book, Jess." Rory's eyes met his, "I'm proud of you."

"I couldn't have done it without you." He responded honestly.

"Me? What did I do?" Rory asked confused.

"Between always encouraging me to write, whether it was the letters we sent back and forth up until you graduated, or the stories we'd exchange; even your die hard focus on becoming a journalist, it inspired me. I don't think I ever told you how much." He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and hanging his head. "To be honest, I was just some screwed up kid from New York with no future. You, Luke, hell even Lorelai, saw that I could be so much more. You all encouraged me and supported me while I found my own path, I can't describe how much I needed it. Even if I couldn't have admitted it back then."

"Well, you're welcome, I guess." Rory gave him a small smile. "How did you afford this place, if you don't mind me asking, and does Dad know you're here?"

"Yeah, Luke knows I'm here." Jess smirked, remembering the phone conversation he'd had with his uncle when all the plans started coming together. "As far as how we afforded it, you'd be surprised at how fast our pay adds up when we are too far away for it to do anything but sit and earn interest in the bank. Luke pitched in a little, like $10,000, but everything else was us and we already paid him back."

"Sounds like you've been a very busy man." Rory observed, "How did you find time to write a book?"

"I actually started it during my first tour, that's when all the interviews happened. I continued my research over the rest of my deployment and had my manuscript nearly finished when my tour ended." Jess explained, "I worked on it, perfected it over the next two tours. When we opened Truncheon, Matt and Chris insisted I publish it, although now I wonder if it was as ready as it could have been."

"What do you mean?"

"There is so much I would have changed if given the chance." He admitted.

"Like what?"

"Keep the back cover, everything else goes." Jess swept his hand dramatically. Rory just rolled her eyes.

"I guess I'm lucky to have one of the first copies then." Rory responded smartly.

"Yeah, yeah," Jess groaned. "Enough about me. What have you been up to Miss Political Journalist? Still enjoying your job?

"More or less." Rory shrugged, "We've been so busy lately that we haven't had a lot of time to ourselves. Today was the first day I had all to myself, although tomorrow, we have an event a few of us have been invited to attend."

"Huh," Jess nodded. The pair sat in comfortable silence a few moments more before Jess spoke again. "Hey, I have to get going. It's my turn on school rotation."

"Well it was nice seeing you." Rory smiled at him.

"Hey where are you staying?" Jess suddenly asked, "I could give you a ride. Especially since it seems to be raining now."

"That would be great," Rory accepted gratefully, "I'm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Central."

"That's not too far. Give me a few minutes I'm going to run upstairs and change," Jess informed her as he headed towards a stair case that was marked _Employees Only._

"Take your time," Rory assured him, "I'll just go pay for my book while I wait."

"Don't you dare!" He quickly crossed back toward the seating area and snatched the book off the coffee table before holding it aloft, out of Rory's reach, with a smirk. Rory jumped several times trying to reclaim her prize but it was of no use.

"But…" She complained giving him the patented Rory eyes and pout.

"It's on the house." Jess clarified, handing the book back to her.

"No, Jess, I can't not pay for this." Rory protested.

"Hey Chris," Jess called out to the man at the front desk who stopped typing on his computer to look up at the pair, "Don't you dare let her pay, she gets the family and friends discount."

Chris looked at Rory quizzically, almost as if trying to place where he'd seen her before turning back to Jess, "Which is she? Family or friend?"

"A little of both." Jess smirked looking down at the brunette, "I'll explain later; it's kind of a long story."

"Alright," Chris shrugged and turned back to the computer once more.

"Come on, you might as well come up while I change, who knows what else you'd find if I left you to your own devices." Jess teased, walking back toward the staircase. "We live upstairs; I guess living with Luke all those years ago rubbed off on me. We have coffee up there too, if you want a cup while I'm changing out of these civvies."

"Sure, why not?" Rory shrugged and followed Jess.

The apartment was organized, telling of the military training of the three men who lived there. The main space had bookcases lining the front and left side walls, filled to overflowing with books in various condition from newly printed all the way down to the so well loved they were nearly falling apart. The kitchen and dining room sat along the rear wall; it was small, but had a decent sized pantry and fridge, the smell of coffee made Rory smile. It was the same blend that Luke had back home. Jess silently pulled out a large mug and poured her a cup, mentioning as he headed toward his room that Luke sent him care packages of the stuff every month. At least now Rory knew that she hadn't been dreaming when she recognized the blend downstairs.

While Jess was gone, Rory took in the rest of the apartment, the dining room held a small table and some chairs and there was an alcove to the right of the dining and living room areas. It had a series of four doors, Jess had disappeared through the one nearest the dining room, leaving Rory to assume that was his room. The rest of the doors she suspected led to Chris and Matt's rooms as well as a bathroom. This was confirmed when Jess stepped out, hair combed and slicked down, olive and khaki uniform closely following the line of his body, and hands busy securing his tie around his neck.

He was still slim, but had filled out over the past several years since Rory had seen him last. The shirt skimming closer than what he'd worn before, showcasing his well-developed arms, chest and back. His pants weren't any better, as he turned to the mirror to attempt to secure his tie, she couldn't help but notice how the slacks almost put his backside on display. Rory felt a sudden pull she refused to call attraction for the man in front of her. _Get a grip on yourself, Danes!_ She scolded herself in her minds best Paris imitation, _He's your cousin._

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Jess smirked having caught the girl staring at him in the mirror. The flush that came to her cheeks making her even prettier in his eyes. _Where did that thought come from?_ He wondered silently as he continued to fidget with his tie, he'd never had issues with it before, but for some reason he had suddenly become all thumbs.

"No!" She shook her head quickly, "I guess it's just been a while since I last saw you in uniform. You look good. Would you like some help with that?" She indicated the strip of fabric he'd been fighting for the last few minutes. He nodded his silent acquiescence as her deft fingers made quick work of the tie securing it in a double Windsor knot before slowly tightening it to rest at the base of his throat.

"Last time was your coming out, wasn't it?" He asked, trying not to think about their close proximity or the fact her eyes seemed to have grown darker. He could still remember the girl who had come down the stairs not 6 years before. It was almost hard to believe that girl and the woman standing in his living room were the same person, but there were no two people with those mesmerizing cerulean eyes that seemed to pierce to his very soul.

"I think so, but you were in your dress blues then. I don't think I've ever seen you in your service uniform before." Rory nodded, flattening the tie against his chest, as she attempted to ignore the pulsing warmth where her hands rested. "Shall we?" She indicated toward the door.

"Huh, um, oh yeah, let me just grab my jacket." He stuttered, the trance now slightly broken as he grabbed the olive colored jacket that held his name placard, rank, and service bars. Shrugging it on, and securing the buttons and belt. With one last smirk, he grabbed an umbrella and led her down to where his car, a refurbished black grand-am, was parked.

The ride back to the hotel was quick and before she knew it, Jess was opening her door so she could step out onto the curb in front of the main doors. "Thanks for the ride," She smiled before giving him a quick hug and, clutching her new book to her chest, gave him one last wave before heading inside.


	28. Meet the Candidate

**Crowne Plaza Hotel  
April 17, 2008  
1600 hours**

Tonight's event was to be a semi-formal "Meet the Candidate" dinner, meaning that Rory and the rest of the invited press were expected to dress accordingly. Rory had sent her dress to be steamed the day before and the valet had just returned it to her. She had a little more than an hour to get ready. Giving her dress one more once-over, she hung it up and headed into the bathroom to start her preparations.

She took a quick shower, making sure to use the pretty smelling body wash her mother had sent to her. It smelled of magnolia blossoms and citrus fruit, and Rory loved how lovely it smelled. After rinsing the soap from her hair and body, she quickly dried off and wrapped her robe around herself while she towel-dried her hair. Using the sleeve of her robe, she wiped the condensation from the mirror and took a long look at her reflection, debating her choices before pulling out both her hair dryer and curling iron; plugging them both in.

She quickly dried her hair while her curling iron warmed up. About an hour to departure time she was putting the finishing touches on her hair, securing the curls atop her head with an assortment of plain and tastefully bejeweled bobby pins. Once she was pleased with the arrangement and had sprayed a sufficient amount of hair spray on her head, she started on her make up.

She had rarely been one to stray from a more natural look, but tonight she wanted to look a little nicer than usual. Grabbing a dark, almost black eyeliner pencil she'd bought specifically for this occasion, she started to line her eyes, bringing even more attention to her hypnotizing eyes. Once she was pleased with the eyeliner, she began to dust on complementary shades of eye shadow on her lids before applying mascara. Smiling slightly at the affect it had on the color of her eyes, she reached once more into her makeup bag and pulled out a tube of warm red cherry lip gloss, swiping the tint over her lips. She quickly grabbed her body spray that carried the same scent as her body wash and spritzed herself before tucking a travel version of the spray into the small purse she'd selected for the occasion.

Walking back into her room, she selected a matching black lace strapless bra and panty set from her luggage. Once she was satisfied with the fit, she pulled out a pair of strappy silver heels; buckling the shoes just below the notch of her ankle before turning toward her dress. Careful of her hair and make-up she slipped the dress over her head and let the fabric slide down her body. Zipping it up, she took one more look at herself in the mirror to take in the affect. She looked like herself but a fancier version that rarely made its appearance outside of her grandparents' annual Christmas parties. Her hair and make-up were impeccable, her dress was a dark form fitting sheath dress with a shimmering blue overlay that skimmed over her curves and had a slit that ended half way up her right thigh. She adjusted the spaghetti straps and pulled her gauzy black wrap over her shoulders before grabbing her purse and a small notebook before heading out the door and to the limos that were waiting for the invited press agents.

Rory may have worked for a small online political magazine, but had quickly gained the attention of a handful of major newspapers. Thankfully, only a couple of them were in any way affiliated with the Huntzberger Media Group. She had also caught the attention of the Democratic Press Secretary which had garnered her invite to the night's event; otherwise she would have been spending the night eating a large pizza with the works as she alternated between movies and reading Jess' book for the third time since she'd gotten it the day before.

"Hey, Rory!" She heard Susan, one of the other writers invited, call out to her. "Want to share a car with me, Joe, and Greg?" She asked nodding her strawberry blonde curls towards the tuxedoed men in question.

"Sure," Rory shrugged with a smile and slid into the limo. Rory was the youngest of the group at 24, Susan had just turned 29, and the men were both in the mid 30's. Susan soon slid in beside her, on the side of the car as the men took their seats on the back seat.

"So who was the guy yesterday?" Susan asked Rory quietly.

"What guy?" Rory asked, giving Susan a perplexed look.

"The one who dropped you off yesterday," Cam the nonchalant response as the reporter smoothed an invisible wrinkle on her strapless burgundy dress.

"Oh," Rory laughed, realizing who her friend was referring to, "That was Jess, he's an old friend."

"He's awfully handsome, tall dark and handsome," Susan purred, "Or at least what Megan told me once she stopped drooling over his uniform. She saw him when he dropped you off."

"Yeah, he was on his way out and was kind enough to offer me a ride." Rory shrugged.

"Was that all he offered you?" Susan arched her eye brow, "Meg said the two of you seemed pretty close."

Rory blushed at the implication, "It's nothing like that," She laughed nervously, "He gave me a free copy of the book he wrote and gave me a ride, that's it. It was probably more to do with the fact my dad would kill him for not seeing me back if he knew I'd seen him than anything else."

"Handsome, a marine, and a writer?" Susan looked intrigued, "Does he write poetry? Can I have his number?"

Rory couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's enthusiasm. "I doubt he writes poetry. He's made it pretty clear on multiple occasions in the past that he is not a fan of the genre. His book is the story of an Iraqi family dealing with their experience of 9/11 and the war. It's very good, although he claims otherwise, I read it in one sitting yesterday afternoon and again before I went to bed last night. As far as giving you his number, I don't even have it. We usually communicate via email. Even if I did, I doubt he would be thrilled about me giving it away to strange women."

"Are you saying I'm strange?" Susan mock-scoffed, reminding Rory a little of her own mother.

"Only in the best possible way," Rory responded cheekily as the limo pulled to a stop outside of the posh venue where the dinner was to be held.

The men helped Susan and Rory from the car before the group made their way into the building. They quickly found their table where the other reporters that had been invited were seated. Rory laughed and engaged with her peers, but couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

 **Golden Ballroom  
Philadelphia  
1900 hours**

He stood by his table, laughing with some of his buddies when he saw her. She just about took his breath away; he was so mesmerized by her beauty. Sure he had always been aware how pretty she was, but the woman in the shimmering midnight dress was absolutely radiant. His heart skipped a beat when the sound of her laughter filled the air drifted toward his table.

His friends had taken notice and poked fun at him, but he didn't care. All he knew was that somehow, someway, he was going to find a way to hold that mesmerizing creature in his arms, whether he ought to or not.

 **Golden Ballroom  
2130 hours**

Dinner had been served, Senator Obama had addressed his constituents, making sure to thank the current and former military members who were present. The room had exploded in applause as the same group was asked to stand for recognition. There were members of nearly every branch of the armed services represented throughout the room. It was clear the uniformed men and women were uncomfortable with the attention, they were luckily put out of their misery just as quickly when dessert was announced.

As the guest were finishing off their chocolate truffles or crème brules, the 20-piece orchestra that was to serve as the entertainment that night started to set up. Soon music filled the air and various couples filled the dance floor. Rory was still enjoying the remnants of her treat and a cup of coffee when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Hello Rory," The voice sent shivers down her spine as she turned toward meet the eyes of the man the voice belonged to.

"Logan," She responded coolly, "It's been a while."

"About a year." He casually conceded, swirling the drink in his hand.

"I thought you were in California." Rory remarked, paying no attention to the reactions the people at her table were having at her treatment of the man who was next in line to control the powerful media conglomerate that most of the worked for, "What are you doing here?"

"I was in town, checking on some of the company's holdings, so I thought I'd stop by." He shrugged noncommittally and took a long swallow of his drink, "Colin and Finn are around here somewhere too. They flew in from New York to visit."

"That's nice," Rory's smile temporarily brightened at the mention of the two men's names. The only regret she had over her breakup with Logan was that she lost Colin and Finn as friends since they'd been loyal to Logan since before she came along. "I would love to see them again."

"I think they're of the same mind." Logan smiled at her. Rory tried to suppress her disgusted reaction to his presence. "I think they're out on the dance floor. If you'd care to dance, and don't mind me stepping on your toes, we just may run into them."

Rory rolled her eyes at his obvious, but failed, attempt at charm but accepted nonetheless. She soon found herself in his arms, circling the dance floor as other couples kept time around them. Every once in a while, she'd catch a glimpse, a smirk, or a raised glass from Colin or Finn as they passed by with their ever widening rotation of partners, including some of the women Rory worked with.

After the fourth song of the night, Rory felt a tap on her shoulder. "May I cut in?" The man's voice requested. The combination of his appearance and voice made her weak in the knees, and she fought to keep her legs steady rather than melt into a large puddle from one look at his warm chocolate eyes.

"I'm dancing with her right now." Logan practically growled at the newcomer, his cold green eyes nearly glowing with aggression. "Find your own girl, leatherneck."

"Logan, it's okay," Rory spoke gently, hoping to defuse the situation. "I was just about done anyway. Why don't you go sit down and I'll finish the dance with him?"

Logan muttered something under his breath as the stormed off the floor and out of the banquet hall with a dramatic slam of the doors. Rory just shook her head at him before returning her attention to her new dance partner. "Thank you," She whispered as she stepped into his gentle arms, "I was starting to think he wouldn't let me go."

"So, that's Logan?"

"That's Logan," Rory sighed tiredly, "You look nice, by the way. Very handsome in your dress blues." She smiled, fingering the epaulets denoting his rank as Marine Captain.

"Yeah, and I even have received new insignias since the last time we danced." He smiled warmly at her, "I'm an honest-to-God big-boy Captain now like dear old Luke."

Rory smiled at the memory of the Second Lieutenant who had stepped in as her escort when she made her debut. "You looked just as good with the old ones." She assured him.

They danced a while longer before he spoke again, "You look beautiful, by the way." He whispered so low she barely heard him, "But then again, you always look beautiful to me."

Butterflies thrilled through Rory at his words as she allowed him to draw her closer so she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," She murmured, smiling slightly at the small tremor she felt race through him as her breath tickled against his neck.

"Rory," He sighed, his resolve nearly snapping as she lifted her head to meet his gaze. The tension and attraction that ebbed between them was palpable. Her eyes wondered from his eyes, to his lips as she wondered how they would feel pressed against hers before letting them drift back up to the warm eyes of the man before her.

She blushed slightly when she caught his eyes traveling the same path from her eyes to her gloss-shimmered lips and back. She caught her lower lip with her teeth, and worried it nervously as he continued his appraisal. Before either of them knew what had happened, his hand found its way into her hair as he brought his lips down to gently, lovingly, caress hers.

If the initial contact wasn't surprise enough for the both of them, Rory wrapping her arms around his neck and playing with the soft hair that curled just above the stiff collar of his uniform jacket as the kiss deepened, was the epitome of bliss. Eventually they parted and rested their heads together.

"Whoa," Rory sighed.

"No kidding," Came his warm chuckle as a mischievous grin split his face, "How long do you think it'll take your mom to break out the kissing cousins jokes once she finds out?"

Rory laughed, "Oh, it'll probably be instantaneous." She shook her head, "But strictly speaking, we're not cousins, at least not by blood." She justified.

"True," Jess agreed, "But I'm sure Taylor would see it differently."

"Screw Taylor," Rory rolled her eyes.

"I can think of so many other people I'd rather screw before him." Jess laughed, "But I get your point."

"Dirty." Rory giggled before resting her head, once again, on his shoulder, "I'm probably going to regret asking this, but I wouldn't happen to be on that list, would I?"

"No," Jess answered honestly. "Why would you want to be?"

"Oh," Rory sighed, dejected. _Maybe he doesn't feel the same way after all._ She thought to herself.

"Jeez," Jess huffed, realizing the misunderstanding, "I mean you are too special to be a quick lay. You deserve to be made slow, passionate, love to."

"Really?" Rory met his eyes once more, "And how many people are on that list?"

"One, only one," Jess spoke softly, tucking a stray hair behind her ear and caressing her cheek with his fingertips, "Only you; it's only ever been you."

Rory and Jess spent the rest of the evening in each other's arms in one way or another. It was almost as if they were afraid that if they broke contact, they would awaken to find the night only a dream. They spent some time at Jess' table, talking books and literature with Matt and Chris. They even spent some time at Rory's table with an initially pouty Susan who eventually came around by the end of the night.

As luck would have it, Matt had worked at the recruiting center that afternoon, so the Truncheon guys had brought two cars. The decision was made that Matt and Chris would drive home together in Matt's car while Jess drove Rory back to her hotel.

Aside from a very brief altercation with Logan in the parking lot, Jess was a perfect gentleman; he helped her on with her wrap, opened doors for her, he had even held her hand in the car during the 20-minute drive. Neither wanted the night to end, but knew that it was in their best interest to take things slow since Rory was still traveling with the campaign. They agreed that they wanted to be together but would figure out together how to make it work long distance. An agreement was struck to write and/or call each other every day that they were apart.

Their discussion reached its natural end as the new couple pulled up in front of Rory's hotel. Jess parked the car and opened her door, offering his arm to her. She linked her arm with his and snuggled into his shoulder as they made their way through the lobby and toward her room. Both held the memories and choices that had been made in their minds, smiling at each other; the glow of new love surrounding them as they stood outside Rory's door. What was meant to be a soft, sweet, kiss good night swiftly became deeper and increasingly needy before they both caught themselves and reluctantly broke apart, catching their breath.

"Good night Rory," Jess smiled warmly at her before kissing her on the cheek.

"Good night Jess," She smiled back, slipping her key into the digital lock. She gave him one last look and a chaste kiss before closing the door between them.

Jess was smiling like an idiot as he made his way down to his car, he knew he'd have to get a hold of himself before getting home, but he'd never been so happy in his entire life. Little did he know, Rory bore the same exact expression as she got ready for bed and fell asleep, cradling his book in her arms as she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.


	29. Diners and Discoveries

**Crowne Plaza on Central, Philadelphia, PA  
April 18, 2008  
1130 hours**

Rory was awoken by a soft knock on her door, squinting momentarily, she allowed her eyes to adjust to the beams of sunlight that were cutting through her curtains. The knock sounded again as she pulled her robe on and secured the sash to cover the shorts and camisole she'd slept in before heading to the door.

"Who's there?" She called.

"Room service," Came the response.

"I didn't order room service," She replied, wiping the last bits of sleep from her eyes.

"Candygram," The visitor responded.

Rory couldn't help but smiled as she recognized the old bit. "You're that darn landshark, aren't you?"

"Alright you caught me," the voice acquiesced, "Open the door, Rory."

"No," she laughed, "You just want to eat me."

"Dirty," The voice had taken on a warm and sensual note as it rumbled through the door, causing Rory to blush momentarily at her unintentional innuendo, "C'mon Rory, open the door, don't make me stand out here like an idiot."

"I don't know," Rory teased, "What's in it for me?"

"I have coffee and…"

"SOLD!" She cut him off, throwing the door open and leaping into the arms of her new boyfriend. "Thank you! I love you."

Jess simply smirked at Rory who was blushing and stammering that she was talking to the coffee. After watching her squirm for a moment more under his gaze, he let her off the hook, "I know," He assured her, "May I come in?"

"Oh," Rory flushed, realizing they were still in the hall, "Right, sure, come on in." She opened the door wider to allow him in as she turned on the lights and took a seat on the bed.

Jess followed, handing her a to-go cup before kissing her and taking a seat on a nearby chair.

"You're so far away," Rory pouted, taking a sip from her coffee.

"Where do you suggest I sit?" He challenged, a puckish grin on his face.

"Well," Rory gave him a shy look before her eyes darted to the unused side of the bed. "Um…"

"I don't know," He smirked, "Can I trust you to behave yourself?"

Rory just rolled her eyes and laughed "Get your well-toned ass over here."

"I knew you were checking me out last night," He teased as he settled on the bed with a soft kiss on Rory's lips. "Did you like what you saw?"

"I had no complaints," She quipped.

"So, what are you up to today?" Jess probed, leaning against the headboard as Rory curled up against him.

"Packing up to move on," Rory sighed, "We're taking off around five to cover a few whistle stops."

Jess checked his watch, "Which gives us about four hours. Why don't you go get dressed and packed and I'll take you to lunch before you go?"

"Okay," Rory agreed, rolling off the bed. She grabbed some clothes and tossed the remote to Jess, "Make yourself comfortable; I'll be out in a little bit."

Jess kicked back as he heard the shower turn on and flipped through the channels searching for something to distract his mind from the tempting images that were attempting to invade his mind. By the time Rory was showered and dressed, Jess had settled on a channel. Rory opened the door to hear "Almost Famous" playing on the TV as she pulled up her hair and applied eyeliner, mascara, and a bit of gloss to her lips.

"Not this again," she mock-complained as she quickly packed the rest of her belongings in her suitcase.

"You know you love it," He teased, his eyes alternating between the screen and following Rory's efficient movements around the room.

"And you know the deal." Rory smirked before rolling her bag to rest next to the door.

"Do you want them to have to burn down the hotel?" He challenged, "This place is pretty nice."

"It is nice," She agreed, pulling her garment bag from the closet and laying it over her suitcase, "But unless you can tear yourself away from that, I will be forced to order from the closest Indian place that delivers."

"Fine," Jess grumbled good naturedly as he turned off the TV. "Not like I can't finish it at home. You ready to go?"

"Yep," Rory nodded, slinging the strap of her laptop tote over her shoulder followed closely by that of her purse. "Are we driving?"

"Yeah, the place I have in mind is a little far to walk."

"Do you mind if we put my bags in your trunk while we go?" She asked, "I think it would be easier to check out now, that way I can just load up when we get back."

"Sure," Jess shrugged, opening the door, "After you milady."

"Thank you, kind sir." Rory grinned at him as she exited, pulling her bag behind her. As soon as the door closed behind them, Jess took the bags out of her hands and followed her down to the reception area.

Within 15 minutes Rory was checked out and Jess was loading her luggage in the trunk. He had gotten her roller board situated and held out his hand for the next bag to load. Rory handed over the garment bag whose zipper had fallen a bit, revealing the shimmering blue of her evening gown to Jess' eyes. "Is this the dress?" He asked.

"There's a few things in there," Rory replied cheekily, "Could you be more specific?"

Jess chuckled, laying the bag in the trunk and closing the hatch. "Huh," He grunted thoughtfully as he opened the passenger door and handed Rory in to the car. He skirted the hood of the vehicle and settled in the driver's seat with an impish grin. "The one I'm thinking of is really sexy, showed off all your curves without being slutty and had a dangerously high slit up one leg that took all my gentlemanly restraint to not explore." He leaned over the console and whispered huskily in her ear. Rory flushed prettily as Jess pulled away from the curb.

"I think I may know this dress," She nodded. They rode quietly for a few moments before Rory spoke again. "Exploring huh?" She asked with a smirk, hoping he would elaborate.

"Just a little spelunking." He teased.

"'Spelunking?'"

"Yeah," Jess gave her a wicked grin, "I enjoy a little bit of cave diving from time to time."

"Jessop William Mariano!" Rory gasped, playfully slapping his arm, "Dirty!"

"What?" Jess laughed, feigning innocence.

"You know what, mister." Rory gave him a mockingly-stern look before dissolving into giggles as Jess chuckled beside her. "So where are we headed?"

"You'll see," Jess smiled, returning his focus to the road. A half hour later, Jess was pulling into a small diner. "I figured you have probably been lacking for good diner food since you left home." Jess explained as he opened Rory's door, "This is the closest to Luke's quality that Philly has to offer."

"Do they have cheesesteak?" Rory asked.

"Baa," Jess bleated at her with a smirk.

"I am not a sheep!" Rory protested.

"If the fleece fits," He shrugged, holding open the door for Rory to enter. "And yes, they have them."

"Good to know," She replied smartly.

Jess spoke to the hostess briefly before they were led to a booth in a quiet corner of the small restaurant. After waiting for them to be seated on one side of the booth seats, the hostess gave them a warm smile and handed them their menus before walking away. Moments later, a red head around Rory's age approached with a cup of coffee in one hand and a glass of cola in the other. She set the drinks on the table and turned to Rory.

"So, you must be Rory," The girl smiled, "Wow, I mean, Jess told me you were pretty, but you are downright gorgeous!" She gushed.

"Um thanks?" Rory gave Jess a questioning look, causing the man to chuckle.

"Rory, this is Matt's little sister, Bridgette," he introduced the women, "Bridge, this is my friend Rory."

"Friend?" Rory teased.

"Didn't know if you were okay with the alternative." He explained.

"Depends on the alternative." Rory quipped.

Bridgette had been following the exchange with interest, "Okay, I think I'm missing some information here." She slid into the booth beside Rory and stage-whispered conspiratorially, "What are the alternatives?"

"Oh, there are a few." Rory replied in the same fashion before turning to Jess, "Let's see we have friends."

"I believe that was established already," Jess smirked, playing along with the bit.

"Right," Rory nodded, "Pen pals…"

"I always did enjoy your correspondence," Jess commented.

"Me too," Rory grinned, "Let's see, what else… Oh, there's the boyfriend/girlfriend thing."

"Don't forget cousins," Jess added quickly.

"Wait a sec," Bridgette interjected as Rory and Jess dissolved into laughter at her confused expression. "What's so funny?"

"The look on your face!" Rory crowed, "The mix of confusion, surprise, and disgust was funny."

"Although probably warranted," Jess conceded, "Given the way we sprung it on you."

"Uh, yeah," Bridgette scoffed, "So what gives? I sense there is more."

"There really isn't much," Rory shrugged, "And it's really not as scandalous as it may seem."

"About 12 years ago, her mother married my uncle," Jess explained.

"And then Dad adopted me," Rory added, "So technically we're cousins through marriage, and adoption, but not blood related."

"That makes sense, I guess," Bridgette nodded, "So are you two dating?"

"Kind of." Rory shrugged.

"How are you 'kind of' dating?" Bridgette asked.

"She's a member of the press junket that is following Senator Obama." Jess supplied, a hint of pride in his voice.

"You're a journalist?" Bridgette asked.

"That's what it says on my press pass." Rory quipped.

"That's really cool," Bridgette nodded. At that moment the hostess caught her attention, "Oops, Mom is giving me 'the look.' Are you wanting something to eat?"

Rory and Jess shared a look before Rory turned back to her new friend and placed her order; Jess just chuckled and said he would have his usual. Bridgette jotted down their orders and bustled away. "Well that was fun," He chuckled.

"I agree." Rory nodded. "Although it wouldn't work too well in the Hollow."

"I vote we don't tell anyone in that social experiment of a town." Jess chuckled, "We should just show up together, see how fast we can make Taylor's heat explode."

"Or how fast 'Hello! Magazine' can spread the news." Rory giggled, "Do you think we should clue Mom and Dad in?"

"Up to you." Jess shrugged, "I know you and Lorelai are freakishly close."

"True," Rory agreed, "But I'm not too keen on hearing the 'kissing cousins' jokes any time soon. Would you be terribly offended if we just kept this between us for now, and not use names for a while if asked?"

"No," Jess shook his head, "Considering our situation, we won't actually have a chance at a 'normal' relationship until at least November, if not January."

Rory contemplated his words for a few moments before speaking again, "I have a proposal."

"Why, Miss Danes," Jess gasped, clutching pretend pearls, "This is all so sudden!"

"Oh, hush you," Rory rolled her eyes at his antics.

"Alright," Jess chuckled, "What do you have in mind?"

"We do the long distance thing, kind of what we were doing before. Writing back and forth and such, but adding in phone calls and visits when we can manage them. Then in November, or January if the senator wins, we reevaluate where we want this to go and if and how we are going to tell the family and the town about the me-and-you thing."

"I accept your proposal." Jess nodded, "But you should be aware my Philly tour will end in October; as will my commission. I don't know what I'll be doing after that."

Bridgette came up to the table as Jess was speaking, balancing three plates in her arms. "Oh Rory," She chided jokingly, "Please don't tell me you stole his thunder."

"It wasn't that kind of proposal, Bridge." Jess shook his head, "I think you picked up a spare." He nodded toward the extra plate.

"Nope, Mom's letting me take my lunch now." She smiled at them as she passed out the plates. "Turkey club and a side salad for Captain Healthy, bacon cheeseburger with onion rings for Madam Journalist, and a Philly cheesesteak and fries for me!" Rory and Jess snickered at her order, "What?"

"Nothing," Rory shook her head, "Inside joke."

"So what did I miss?" Bridgette prompted, sliding in across from Rory and Jess.

"Relationship negotiations," Jess shrugged.

"Like what?"

"If and when to tell the folks in our hometown about us." Rory explained.

"Why is it their business?" Bridgette asked, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"It's not," Jess shook his head, "But everyone is in each other's back pocket there; I'm still surprised that Luke was able to keep his stuff under wraps as long as he did."

"True, but Dad never really did anything to make Patty or Babette question his actions," Rory shrugged, "Except for when he got shot, but even then he had a valid reason for his actions and his gun."

"Hey, code couple," Bridgette cut in, "Details, please."

"I don't know if we can," Jess commented before turning back to Rory, "Isn't it still classified?"

"I think it's okay now so long as we don't go into specifics." Rory shrugged, "The simple version is that my dad used to be undercover with the Marshals service. About a year before my folks got married, there was an armed robbery in the town grocery store that involved a hostage. Dad was the closest law enforcement official; he challenged the suspect and wound up shooting him without injuring the woman he was holding at gunpoint."

"He's a sharp-shot," Jess interjected.

"But he also got shot in the process." Rory continued, "That night in the hospital, he told my mom about his undercover work. He retired from the Marshals the summer before my sophomore year of high school."

"Your dad seems to have an interesting life." Bridgette commented.

"He doesn't think so," Rory shrugged, "But Mom tries to remedy that every day."

"Sometimes multiple times a day." Jess quipped.

"Dirty," Rory giggled.

"You are _so_ your mother's child." Jess shook his head in mock disappointment.

"Proud of it, Babe!" Rory grinned. "Hey what time is it?"

"About a quarter until three." Jess reported after glancing at his watch, "Do you feel up to a walk before we head back?"

Rory simply nodded a shy smile on her face.

Returning his girlfriend's grin, he turned to his friend, "Bridge, check please?"

"No, it's on the house," She shook her head, "Friends and Family Discount."

"You have that here too, huh?" Rory asked, a smile on her lips.

"Matt was behind both," Jess shrugged.

"Hey, you got a cell phone?" Bridgette asked Rory.

"Oh, yeah," Rory pulled out her phone and handed it to Bridgette who did the same. The women made quick work of exchanging numbers and a parting hug before Jess and Rory made their exit.

"Thank you for lunch." Rory smiled as they slowly made their way through a nearby park, hand in hand. "I really enjoyed meeting Bridgette."

"I thought you would." Jess smirked, "She's a lot like you, personality-wise."

"She kind of reminds me of Lane." Rory mused, "Well except that she probably doesn't have to hoard stuff away under her floor boards.

"That we know of." Jess chuckled, "For all we know, she's a murderess and had dead bodies stockpiled under the diner."

"I'll take morbid habits for $200, Alex," She quipped, "Jeeze."

"You have been around Luke and your mom too much." Jess laughed.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Rory pouted.

"Not bad," Jess pointed out, "But you can hear the influence. The Jeopardy reference is all your mom, and the 'Jeeze' is Luke."

"Huh," Rory responded thoughtfully.

"…and that would be me." Jess joked.

They walked in silence for a few more minutes before Rory spoke again, "Do you really think we can do this?"

"We can do anything," Jess, squeezed her hand affectionately before brushing his thumb over her slender knuckles, "I'm not saying it will be easy, but if we both are willing to work at it, I think we could make it."

"I miss you already," She whispered, "How pathetic is that? I'm supposed to be independent; 'I am woman, hear me roar,' and all that."

"It's not pathetic," He assured her, stopping in front of her to brush a tear from her cheek before pulling her into his arms, "And even if it is, I'm here being pathetic with you. I'm supposed to be this bastion of strength and fortitude, but here I am pining for a girl who isn't even gone yet."

"Like you weren't pining for me before," She quipped, beaming up at him, trying to lighten the mood.

"True," he admitted as they began to walk back towards the diner and the car so they could return to the hotel "To be honest, I probably have been since I escorted you at your debut. Whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not."

"I know what you mean." She sighed, linking her arm through his and leaning on his shoulder. "I tried to deny my attraction to you, but between the cotillion, the Franklin article and the events that went along with it, and our correspondence, I… I think I may have fallen in love with you." She finished softly.

Jess took in her admission as he opened the door of the car. He kissed her hand before helping her into her seat, "Not the coffee?"

"Well, that too," She blushed.

"Huh," Jess nodded before leaning down and brushing a soft kiss to her lips, "I suppose it's only fair that I let you know that I love you too… with or without coffee."

He kissed her one more time before skirting his car and getting into the driver's seat. The drive back to the hotel was over much faster than either would have liked, but before they knew it, Jess was pulling into the small parking lot where the tour bus sat, waiting for the press corps to finish boarding up. As Rory collected her laptop case and purse, Jess was pulling her bags from the trunk. By the time he had the bags together, Rory had straightened out her clothes. Jess tucked her under his arm and pulled the bags behind him as he walked her to the tour bus; handing the bags directly to the porter who was helping with the last of the luggage to be loaded.

"I don't want to go," Rory murmured into his shoulder as Jess pulled her into his arms, neither caring that her tears were soaking his shirt. "It's too soon."

"I know, Rory," Jess whispered into her hair and placed a soft kiss to the top of her head while he ran his hands up and down her back, trying to soothe her. "It won't be forever; we'll write, we'll call, I'll try to meet up with you on your stops when I can, too. Hell, we can even do that video thing, what is it called? Skype?"

Rory nodded, trying to regain her composure as she raised watery eyes to meet his. She was surprised to see him getting a little misty too. "I'll email you my schedule tonight. We can try the Skype thing too."

"I love you," His voice rumbled deep in his chest as his lips met hers.

"I love you, too." She replied.

"No coffee?" He teased.

"No coffee." She confirmed, "You are so much better than coffee."

"But not as rich," Jess quipped.

"Rich is overrated," Rory shrugged, "I should know."

"You've got a bus to catch." Jess gave her one last kiss, full of promise and longing, and watched as she boarded the bus and took her seat. He stood, holding her stare and gave a small wave as the driver released the air break and the coach liner pulled away.


	30. A Shoulder to Lean On

**Obama Campaign Bus  
Enroute from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, PA  
April 18, 2008  
1706 hours**

Rory's heart broke just a little as the bus pulled away. She blew a kiss and waved to Jess as he disappeared from view, the next few months could not go by faster. Rory, for the first time since she joined the campaign tour, found herself hoping that the senator would not win so she could get back to Jess just that much sooner.

Sighing deeply, she slumped in her seat, silently brushing away the tears the fell down her already tear-streaked face. She felt the seat beside her shift as a small pack of tissues were pressed into her hands at the same time as a comforting arm wrapped itself around her shoulders.

"So much for 'just friends,' eh?" She heard Susan's voice, "I guess this means I can't get his number?"

"You guess right," Rory chuckled weakly at her friend's attempt at lighthearted banter. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Susan assured her, "He got the better end of that deal."

"That's still debatable," Rory sniffed, laying her head on her friend's shoulder, "From where I'm sitting, we both got dealt a bad hand."

"So did you hook up?" Susan asked, "I don't need details… unless you wish to share, then I'm all ears."

Rory blushed, "No, we didn't do _that_ , not that I wouldn't want to sometime in the future."

"The near future?" Susan goaded her.

Rory flushed even deeper, "Maybe," She sighed, "But I really don't have a lot of experience with that kind of stuff; I've only ever dated a few guys. With my first boyfriend, I wasn't ready yet; he was and got jealous over every guy who even looked my direction."

"What a jerk," Susan huffed.

"Yeah," Rory nodded. A memory surfaced that caused her to giggle, "Jess was in DC for training at the time. When he found out, it was all I could do to convince him to not take leave and kick Dean's ass into next Thursday, although there was a close call after my debut."

"What happened?"

"Dean saw us going into the diner after my coming out. Jess had his arm over my shoulders, Dean lost it and accused me of cheating on him with both a guy from school and Jess," She rolled her eyes, "He then tried to attack Jess, not realizing that Jess had combat training. Needless to say the better man won."

Susan chuckled, "Wow, did he have an issue with all your boyfriends?"

"Not all of them," Rory shrugged, "He liked Marty, my second boyfriend."

"But you didn't?"

"There wasn't anything wrong with him," Rory defended her friend, "He was nice enough, but…"

"More friend than boyfriend?" Susan guessed, "I've had a couple of those."

"Pretty much, we met my first week at Yale. We still talk from time to time," Rory smiled, "He's actually getting married this summer to a mutual friend of ours."

"Are you going?"

"I might, Hugo hasn't gotten back to me to let me know if I can have the time or not yet." Rory shrugged, "Either way, I'm sending a gift."

"Very kind of you." Susan jokingly commended.

"I thought so," Rory smiled.

"I really hope you are able to go." Susan commented, "Especially since you have a date now."

"True," Rory agreed, "It would be such a waste to not show off how pretty Jess looks dressed up. Not to mention that Marty and Lucy don't live that far from Philly"

"Speaking of Jess and old boyfriends," Susan led in.

"I'm guessing you picked up on the tension between Logan, me, and Jess?" Rory sighed.

"You could cut it with a knife," Susan gave you a thin smile, "I'm guessing Jess doesn't care for Mr. Huntzberger's son?"

"That is the understatement of the year." Rory rolled her eyes, "The only person who didn't have a problem with my relationship with Logan was my grandmother. Grandpa liked him at first too, but once he saw the influence Logan had on me, he changed his mind. Grandma is still pushing me to 'Reconcile with that charming Huntzberger boy.'"

"What kind of influence?"

"You want the chronological break down?" Rory sighed.

Susan nodded and looked at Rory expectantly. Rory took a dep breath and launched in to the history, starting with partnering with Logan to get and inside look at the Life and Death Brigade. She talked about the 'Leap of Faith' jump and the tenuous friendship that started between herself and the Huntzberger heir. She went on to explain how their friendship had developed into friends with benefits and eventually a full blown relationship.

The older woman listened as her friend talked about the ups and downs of the relationship, from Logan's juvenile behavior to his cheating. Rory detailed how her other relationships with her family and friends became strained, eventually to the breaking point when, after Mitcham told her she didn't have what it takes to make it in journalism, she stole a yacht with Logan. She spoke about dropping out of Yale and moving in with her grandparents and how, after he realized why her address changed, Jess wrote her, trying to figure out what went wrong and encouraged her to return to Yale.

"Looking back, I feel so bad that he had to take time out to do that." She admitted sadly, "Jess was deployed to Afghanistan at the time, and there were so many other things that were much more important than my grown-up version of a temper tantrum for him to pay attention to."

"Somehow I think he may see it differently," Susan commented, "Did you break up with after that?"

Rory shook her head and explained that while she did return to Yale and eventually patched things up with her friends and family, she still continued to stay with Logan, even moving into his apartment off campus rather than returning to live with her friend and her friend's boyfriend. She told Susan how she finished her court ordered community service in record time and was able to pick up her studies at the beginning of the next semester.

"I lived with him until the start of my last semester. His father had been sending him all over and he was barely home, so I moved back in with my old roommate and her boyfriend." Rory continued, "The day of my last finial, my grandparents threw me a graduation party. Logan proposed in front of everyone."

"I'm guessing he didn't like your answer?"

"Nope," Rory popped the 'p,' "I asked him to give me time to think. My graduation was the next week and he asked again. He was going on about how he had everything ready for us, right down to the charming townhouse with the avocado tree in the back yard. All I could see was my career slipping away and being replaced with the life of a society wife; it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. While I love my grandma, I didn't want, and still don't want her life."

"So, I'm guessing you said 'no?'" Susan asked.

"I said no," Rory confirmed, holding up her ring less left hand as if needing to show proof of the statement. "He said goodbye and walked away. I remember thinking how odd it was that I didn't even feel sad that this relationship I'd been in for nearly three years was suddenly over. If I even felt anything at all, it was relief."

"From what I saw last night, Logan took it harder."

"In a manner of speaking," Rory shrugged, "When my articles started getting syndicated, he started trying to reconnect. Until last night, I'd been pretty good at avoiding him."

"I'm guessing Jess knew."

"Actually, he didn't," Rory smirked, "He does now."

"Do you think Logan is going to try again?" Susan asked.

"I really hope not," Rory sighed, "I hope he got the message last night, but I doubt it. Thinking with his larger brain was never Logan's strong suit."

Susan snickered at the implication, "What are you going to do if he keeps pestering you?"

"I'll probably enlist the help of Colin and Finn, his best friends, to get it through his thick, alcohol-sodden brain." Rory admitted, "Failing that, I may have to get a restraining or do not contact order. Of course that is if Dad or Jess don't get to him first."

"I'm sure that Jess would love that." Susan chuckled dryly. "He was staring daggers at Logan from the time Logan approached to you until he cut in; then Logan took over the death glare, or rather pout."

"He always was an overgrown three-year-old." Rory huffed.

Susan threw her head back and laughed, "That has always been my impression from what I've read of Logan's escapades. Thank God I'm not alone in that! Too bad I work for his father; Logan will be my boss someday."

"There are other newspapers and organization to work for." Rory pointed out, "I know the paper in my hometown will never be under that control of HMG."

"That's because it's privately owned and distributed." Susan pointed out, "And no offence, but I've read that little paper a few times when your mom and dad sent it in a care package for you and it's…"

"Excruciatingly bad?" Rory supplied, laughing at her friend's facial expression.

"Painfully so," Susan laughed, "But certainly colorful."

"Did I ever tell you that Taylor offered me the job of Editor in Chief whenever I want it?" Rory rolled her eyes.

"Isn't that Kirk guy the editor?"

"And the mailman, and the video store clerk, doggy day care owner, pest exterminator, and about 50 other things around town."

"Jeeze, get a life, dude." Susan snickered. "Why does he have so many jobs?"

"Who knows," Rory brushed it off, not wanting to reveal the real reason for the undercover Marshal's work history, "We suspect an attention span problem; ADD, ADHD, or something."

"At least his life is interesting." Susan chuckled.

"It really isn't," Rory shook her head, "The most exciting thing that happened to him, aside from somehow convincing one of the local school teachers to marry him, was when CatKirk attacked him and scratched up to 80% of his body."

"Who is CatKirk?" Susan gave her a puzzled look.

 _The reason we gave to the town to excuse his injuries from when Christopher was arrested._ Rory thought, "The cat he had a few years back, it was really violent and hated men. Don't ask me why he thought it would be a good idea to get that cat; after repeatedly attacking him, it had to get put down."

"Wow," Susan shook her head sadly, "That sucks."

"He's okay now," Rory informed her friend, "According to a moment of overshare by Kirk and his fiancée, Lulu, he only has a few scars from the incident."

"Yeah, but there's not even a cool story, like he got shot or something, to go along with the scars." Susan mused.

 _If only you knew_ , Rory thought as the bus pulled into the hotel they would be staying in for the night they were in Harrisburg. "Wow that was fast, what time is it?"

Susan checked her watch, "About a quarter after seven. Why? You have a hot date?"

"Maybe," Rory grinned as she collected her bags, "Or maybe I'm just hungry."

"But hungry for what is the question," Susan teased, causing Rory to blush as they picked up their keys. "Enjoy your dinner and dirty phone call. Make sure to lock your door if you are sexting!"

"Mean!" Rory giggled, heading toward the elevators that would take her to her floor.

"Dream wickedly dirty dreams!" Susan called after her as the elevator doors began to close.

Rory rolled her eyes and hit the button for her floor. Just as she reached room 317, where she would be spending the evening, her phone started to ring. Smiling at the name that flashed on the screen, she answered, "Hey stranger, long time no talk."


	31. Unexpected Visitor Mature Content

**Sheraton Downtown, Harrisburg, PA  
April 18, 2008  
1930 hours**

The elevator doors closed quietly behind Rory, who made her way down the hall in search of her room. As she pulled out her access card for the door marked 317, "Walk Like and Egyptian" started playing from her purse. She quickly opened the door and reached for her things.

Setting her bags inside the door, she pulled out her phone, smiling as "Red Hot Mama" flashed across her screen.

"Hey stranger, long time no hear."

"Well someone was supposed to call me last night, or at least first thing when they woke up today." Lorelai reminded her.

"Oops," Rory laughed, "Sorry Mom, I forgot."

"You forgot?!" Lorelai scoffed, "I spent hours, many, painful hours mind you, in labor to bring you into this world. Did I mention that it hurt? Think splits over crates of dynamite level pain. Then I left home at 17 to raise you, alone I might add…"

"Until Dad," Rory supplied as she laid her purse and laptop case on the bedspread.

"Until your dad," Lorelai acquiesced, "And you forgot? Why so mean to Mommy?"

"It wasn't intentional," Rory protested as she casually glanced over the room service menu to see if anything looked appealing and making a metal note of what to order, "I was out late last night and I was busy today."

"Busy doing something slutty?" Lorelai probed.

"Eww, Mom!" Rory groaned, "Whether I did or not, I wouldn't divulge that information anyway."

"Aww, my little Deepthroat," Lorelai cooed.

"Jeeze Mom, that was a deliberate 'dirty!'" Rory rolled her eyes.

"You are so your father's daughter," Her mother laughed, "So why were you so busy this morning that you forgot your dear, sweet mother?"

"You mean Mother Dearest?" Rory jokingly challenged.

"Mean!" Lorelai laughed, "And you're being evasive." She gasped, "You _were_ doing something slutty, weren't you?"

"No, I can assure you I was not." Rory rolled her eyes.

"But you were with someone." Lorelai guessed, "Someone you met last night?"

"In a manner of speaking," Rory admitted, "We kind of ran into each other. Went to lunch before I caught my bus."

"So you already knew them?" Lorelai inferred.

"It was someone I've known for a while." Rory admitted.

"Did you meet on the campaign trail? Lorelai pressed.

"Yes," Rory nodded, _Technically, it's true,_ she justified to herself, _ran into Jess at a campaign-related event._

"Is this person a boy or a girl?" Lorelai asked.

 _He's a man,_ she thought to herself, "A boy." Rory confirmed.

"Will you be seeing him again?" Lorelai excitedly.

"It's been discussed," She replied coyly before promptly changing topics, "Hey, I only just got to my room when you called. I need to get something to eat and review the notes for my copy."

"Okay Sweets, I'll let you go." Lorelai agreed; Rory heard murmuring voices in the background before her mother spoke again. "Dad, Billy, and Mimi all say hello and they love you."

"Tell them I love them too and give them all a hug from me." Rory smiled.

"Love you, Sweets."

"Love you too, Mom," Rory smiled, "Bye."

As soon as she hung up with her mom, Rory quickly went about her routine of getting settled in her temporary space. First on the list was getting something to eat; a quick call to room service settled that. While she changed into the boxer shorts and camisole she usually wore to bed and started plugging in her devises.

Pulling her laptop into her lap, she started it up to start her proofs and check email as a knock sounded on the door. Setting the still processing laptop aside, she pulled on her lightweight robe to answer the door. "Wow, that was fas…" She cut herself off as she recognized the person on the other side of the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you, too," Came the snide answer that was barely concealed by attempted charm.

"You didn't answer my question," Rory tersely pointed out, crossing her arms in front of her.

"What?" He asked, feigning innocence, "Am I not allowed to visit?"

"Not without calling, or being invited." She retorted, "And certainly not at this time of night."

"I bet you would let _him_ come by unannounced." He scowled, "You seemed to have no problem with that this morning." He stepped toward her.

Rory paled at his advance, but held her ground as her heart sped up as the struggled to retain her composure. _Is he stalking me now?_ She wondered. "There's a big difference," Rory defended, "He is my boyfriend who is _invited_ to come by when he is able since we can't see each other very often. Not that I have to justify this to you."

He simply looked at her, his eyes silently taking in her appearance, his face unreadable. She shifted uncomfortably and pulled her robe tighter around herself to protect herself from his wondering eyes. "You still didn't answer me." She reminded him quietly, her voice unsure, "Why are you here?"

His response didn't come in words as he charged the door. Rory didn't have time to respond before his mouth was on hers, bruising her lips as his hands, and her shock, held her nearly immobile as he backed her further into the recesses of the room.

It wasn't until her legs met the side of the bed that her brain reengaged, she tried to get out of his roaming grasp as he pushed her back onto the bed. She tried to push him off, but he was too strong. _When did he get so strong?_ Tears streamed from her eyes as his fingers branded her in blue and purple. His eyes emotionless, cold, and unfeeling as his touch.

"Please stop," She cried, the sound muted by his rough lips as his hands methodically moved lower.

 **Sheraton Downtown Harrisburg  
April 18, 2008  
2155 hours**

It was the end of Brody's night when the order for room 317 came in. He loaded up the cart with the requested bacon cheese burger, fries, and onion rings along with the bottle of soda, grumbling about having to stay over his shift just so some late check-in with no regard for others' time could get their food.

As the elevator doors opened, he saw a blond man run past, a shaken look on his face and his expensive clothing disheveled. Brody just shook his head and added it to the growing list of odd things he'd seen and heard over the short time he'd been employed there. He made his way toward the room and was surprised when the door swung on its own when he knocked. What he wasn't prepared for was the scene he stumbled upon on the other side of the door.

 **Truncheon Apartment  
April 18, 2008  
2342 hours**

Jess had been trying for hours to reach his girlfriend. He had tried calling and texting her cellphone, instant messenger, and the hotel before coming to the conclusion that she must be busy. Hoping to hear from her the next morning, he went to bed around 11:30 only to be awoken by his cell phone just as he was starting to drift off to sleep.

"'Lo?" He murmured into the phone. When he heard no reply, he checked the caller ID, surprised to see his uncle's home number, "Billy? Is that you, Bud? Do your folks know you're up?"

"Jess?" Luke's voice was barely recognizable, rough, as if he'd been crying.

"Luke?" He sat up, trying to clear the cobwebs from his head, not understanding what reason his uncle who was usually fast asleep by this time of night would be calling him. "What's wrong?"

"Jess, we need your help," His uncle sounded broken, "Rory…"

Jess's heart sped up as his brain came into sharp focus, a million and one scenarios running through his brain. His concern for his girlfriend's safety increasing exponentially with each passing second. "Rory?" He gasped, "What happened to Rory? Is she okay?"

"We don't know," Luke sighed, "Her boss, Hugo, just called and said a room service attendant found her…"

"'Found her?!'" Jess nearly screamed into the phone, "What the hell do you mean 'found her?'"

"They think she was attacked," Luke's voice broke, "They didn't go into much detail over the phone. Lorelai is dropping the kids off with the Bellvilles' and we're going to head out as soon as she gets back. I know it's late, but you're closer than we are, and Lor… we would both feel better if she had someone with her."

Jess was already ahead of his uncle; by the time the request was made, he was already dressed again and grabbing his wallet, keys, and jacket. "Where is she?"

"They transported her to Memorial Hospital in Harrisburg." Luke relayed the information, "There's something you should know, though."

"Huh?" Jess asked, heading down the stairs that led from his apartment to the store.

"She's non-responsive." Luke sighed defeated.

"Non-responsive?" Jess stopped cold on the stairs and sat, afraid of his feet coming out from under him at the shock. "What you do you mean? Are we talking unconscious? Is she…"

"No," Luke cut off his nephew's downward spiraling train of thought, "She's awake, but she's not talking. The doctors think she's in shock."

"A Danes Dame not talking?" Jess tried to lighten the mood, but failed, "That can't be good." He started down the stairs again and headed toward his car. "Harrisburg is a couple hours away; I'll be there as soon as I can. I'll try not to break too many traffic laws between here and there."

"Thank you, Jess," Luke sounded slightly relieved, "Lorelai just pulled in, we'll be heading out in a moment ourselves. We'll see you as soon as we get there."

"Alright," Jess nodded as he turned over the ignition of his car, "See you there." With that he pulled away, heading toward the I-76 toward Harrisburg.

 **Harrisburg Memorial Hospital  
April 19, 2008  
0125 hours**

One traffic stop, a flash of his military ID with an explanation about a family emergency, and a police escort later, Jess was barging into the Emergency Room like the man on a mission that he was. He approached the bored looking medical assistant that was staffing the admissions desk and tried to reign in his warring emotions before speaking.

"Rory – er Lorelai – Danes." He croaked, his voice choosing that moment to side with the panic, fear, and sadness within his head.

"Are you family?" The woman asked as she hit a few buttons on her computer.

"She's my cousin," He replied, knowing claiming that particular relationship out of all the possibilities would get him in to see her faster. "Her parents are coming in from Connecticut, I live closer so they asked me to be with her until they could get here."

The woman sighed before pointing toward a brightly lit hallway, "The treatment areas are back that way. Check with the nurses' station to find out which pod she's in.

Jess thanked the woman before heading back to find his girlfriend. He made his way past several curtain-partitioned pods before reaching the central nurses station where a man around his age with curly dark hair and green scrubs and a white lab coat stood, filling out a chart before closing the folder and turning his attention to him. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for my cousin, Lorelai Danes." Jess explained.

The man's face softened and changed, "You know when I first got her chart I was really hoping that it was another Lorelai Danes." He shook his head sadly. "I wish that it was, I really hope they don't pull me off her case, but all things considered…"

"You know Rory?" Jess questioned the man.

"Marty Harris, we went to Yale together." The man offered his hand, "You must be Jess."

"Good to finally meet you," Jess shook his hand, "She always had great things to say about you."

"Likewise; how much have you heard?" He asked.

"Enough to suggest you carry an extra change of clothes with you wherever you go." Jess chuckled, glad for the distraction.

"I had to ask," Marty shook his head as he stopped in front of a curtained cubicle, "I need to warn you, she's a bit worse for wear."

"I know, her father told me," Jess nodded.

"I'm sure you faced worse overseas, but when it's someone you know that's hurt, especially the way she appears to have been, it's different." Marty advised him. "We have been hesitant to touch her, but based on the injuries we've observed, the defensive marks on her hands and arms along with the bruising on her legs and…" He paused as if steeling himself against the last bit of information, "Inner thighs, we have a pretty good idea of what happened. We need to run some tests, but don't want to exacerbate the trauma."

"Oh God," Jess took a deep breath, catching Marty's meaning, before nodding that he was ready to see her.

"Rory?" Marty spoke softly, walking up to the side of her bed, careful to not touch or startle her. "You have a visitor."

"Hey Rory," Jess forced a smile on his face as her eyes met hers, he saw a small flicker of recognition, and she relaxed her tight fetal position just a tad. "Marty's told Luke you aren't much for talking to him right now. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do, but would you please at least talk to me, Baby?" He requested, pulling up a chair and gently resting his hand on the bed in hopes that she would take his hand.

A silent tear slid down her cheek as she timidly joined her fingers with his. It was as if all sound had been sucked out of the room and enveloped the three friends. Jess could feel the tremors that wracked Rory's body as she gathered her strength and softly whispered one word, "Logan," before dissolving into tears.


	32. Hospitals and Helpers

**Harrisburg Memorial Hospital  
April 19, 2008  
0200 hours**

Jess and Marty looked in shock at Rory's admission before meeting each other's eyes over her head. "Logan?" Marty asked, "Surely she doesn't mean…"

"I'm going to kill him." Jess growled.

"Not worth it," Rory murmured clutching his hand tighter.

"Huntzberger?" Marty clarified, only to be answered by Rory's small nod.

"He was at the campaign dinner we were at the other night in Philadelphia." Jess sighed and ran his free hand through Rory's dark waves, trying to soothe her. "He found out she was following Obama's presidential campaign and crashed the party."

"I thought he was in California," Marty mused.

"Apparently he was in town on business." Jess shrugged, "I met him last night when I saved Rory from his clutches; the man's an ass."

"No argument there." Marty agreed. "Rory, I have to ask, did he… did he force you?"

Rory nodded before shooting an apologetic look to Jess and breaking down again, "I'm sorry."

"Hey," Jess whispered, "Hey, this was not your fault."

"But he…" Rory sobbed, pulling him closer, needing to feel the same embrace of his arms. He was her protection, her protector against all the wrong in her world. "He…"

"I know, Babe, I know." Jess whispered in her ear, pressing soft kisses to her temple as Marty looked on, a slightly puzzled.

"I thought you said you were cousins?"

He felt Rory chuckle slightly against his neck. Despite the circumstances, it relieved some of the tension swirling in the small cubicle, it was somewhat comforting that she could still find her sense of humor. "It's kind of complicated," Jess shrugged, "My uncle adopted her when he married her mother. So technically we're cousins by marriage, but not blood related."

"Ah, yes the thin grey line of ethical standards," Marty rolled his eyes before sighing and shifting back into his professional role. "Um, I hate to mention it… again, but we need to do a kit. I can send one of the female nurses to do it if that would make both of you more comfortable. It's probably best that her ex-boyfriend turned friend doesn't do the exam."

Jess nodded, "Rory, do you understand what he's wanting to do?" Rory nodded, "Are you okay with them doing the exam?" Again she nodded.

"Can you stay with me?" She asked meekly. "You wouldn't have to see anything, just sit facing me, I need you to hold my hand." _Keep me safe,_ she thought.

"Sure," He nodded, _I won't leave you._ _I'd never leave you if I had the choice,_ He thought. "Okay, do what you have to do. Will this help?"

"If she chooses to press charges, yes." Marty confirmed, "It may not seem like it at first, the exam is hard for the victims, but knowing they have the kit for evidence allows them to have a bit of power in an otherwise powerless situation."

"Good," Jess nodded sharply, "I want to nail his ass to the wall."

"You and me both." Marty agreed, "You and me both."

"I should warn you, her dad will probably want to join the lynch mob."

"I welcome him and anybody who would want to join in." Marty replied earnestly.

"You do realize you just got yourself stuck with Paris Gellar, right?" Jess chuckled as Marty nodded.

"I figured as much, from what I hear, she's a damn good lawyer." Marty shrugged, "And she hates Huntzberger. She'd be a good ally to have. I'm going to go get that nurse now."

"Okay," Jess nodded, "Hey Marty?"

The doctor paused, hand on the curtain before he turned back, "Hmm?"

"Thanks."

"Just doing my job," Came the response.

 **Harrisburg Memorial Hospital  
April 19, 2008  
0330 hours**

It had taken an hour before a nurse could come and examine Rory; she was a jovial older woman with a little extra weight on her who reminded Rory a little bit of her mother's best friend. Rory jumped every time the nurse's soft touch came in contact with her bruises. The nurse apologized and did her best to be gentle as she talked Rory through everything she did in a soothing, motherly voice. She took the pictures she had to take as quickly as she could, covering Rory back up after each picture was taken.

When it came time for the exam itself, Rory squeezed Jess' hand tightly as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Jess did his best to comfort her, whispering soothing, sweet words in her ear. He did his best to be strong for her, but inside his heart was breaking seeing his strong, confident girlfriend this way.

"Okay, the bad part's over now. " The nurse promised, smoothing the blanket down over Rory almost as if tucking in a small child before packing up her equipment and samples. "I'm going to get this down to the lab, I'll send Dr. Harris back in to start your release paperwork so we can get you out of this depressing place."

Rory nodded silently as her boyfriend turned and met the older nurse's eyes. "Thank you… just, thanks."

"You're welcome," She gave a warm smile to the couple, "You take care of her." Jess nodded his acceptance of the instruction.

An hour later, release papers in one hand, Rory's hand in the other, Jess was guiding her out of the hospital and to his car. "What do you want to do now?" Jess asked, "I already had Susan collect your things from your old room. I figured you wouldn't want to go back there. The hotel offered you another room if you want."

"Can we just go home?" She asked meekly, pulling the jacket he'd loaned her tighter around herself, covering as much of her body as she could.

"Your folks are already on their way here, we'd probably miss them if we went back." Jess informed her softly, "But if you really want to head back, I think I have enough juice left to get us to the Hollow before I completely crash."

"No," Rory shook her head, "I meant home with you."

"Are you sure?" Jess asked.

"Yes," Rory nodded, "I just… I need…"

"Okay," Jess agreed, understanding her implied meaning. "I'll let your folks know, they're probably close to Philly by now."

"Not if Mom made Dad stop for coffee." Rory gave him a weak smile as he tucked her into the car, "You know she did, the adrenaline would only last her so long."

"You're probably right." Jess chuckled, closing the door. After making a quick call to his uncle's cell phone, and informing the older man of the change of plans, he started the ignition and pulled out on his way back to his apartment.


	33. Should I Stay or Should I Go?

**Truncheon Apartment  
April 19, 2008  
0545 hours**

"Okay, here we are," Jess guided an unusually quiet Rory into the building through the back entrance. The shop looked a lot different in the early morning light. "The guys are already downstairs doing inventory so they shouldn't bother us."

Rory just nodded as she silently followed him up the narrow staircase, pulling his old leather jacket around the scrubs she'd been given after the hospital took her sleepwear as evidence. The jacket was so much like him; tough and durable at first sight, but soft and gentle to the touch when you were allowed close enough. Once Jess got the door open, he allowed her to proceed him into the dimly lit apartment.

Jess stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, assessing the situation, his eyes never leaving the girl who sat curled up on his worn leather couch, picking at her shorts. "Do you want to get out of those clothes? I can loan you a shirt and some sweats if you want."

Rory gave him a small smile and nodded, he gave her a small smile before turning and disappearing into his bedroom. He emerged a few minutes later with a shirt, some sweatpants, and a pair of socks in his arms. "The bathroom is the second door to the left." He helped her up and handed her the stack of clothes, "There's towels in the cabinet and shampoo in the shower. We don't have any of that nice smelling stuff you use, so you'll have to make do with regular soap for now. I just went to the dentist so there's a spare toothbrush if you want it.

"Thanks," She smiled weakly and ducked into the bathroom. He heard doors and drawers opening and closing and then a few minutes later, the sound of the shower staring up.

Forty-five minutes later, the shower was still going. Jess knew the water had to be cold; knocking on the door, he called her name but heard nothing in response except the sound of water hitting porcelain. He could have sworn he heard a faint whimper, but he was hesitant to go in considering what all had happened. He was still pacing the floor when a sharp knock sounded on the door.

"Thank God you're here," He threw open the door for Luke and Lorelai.

"Where is she?" Lorelai demanded, the concern evident in her voice, "Where's my baby?"

"She's been in the shower for over an hour," he pointed toward the bathroom door, "She won't respond to me and I wasn't sure it was wise to go in and get her, all things considered."

"Is the door unlocked?" Lorelai headed toward the bathroom.

"I don't know, I didn't try the door. If it isn't, the key is above the doorframe." Lorelai simply nodded her understanding.

She knocked on the door lightly so as to not startle her daughter, "Rory? It's Mom. Can I come in?" She got no response. Sending an unreadable look at the concerned looking men behind her, she tried the door.

Thankfully, the knob turned easily in her hand, allowing her to quickly slip into the small room. A quick glance at the translucent shower curtain revealed the location of her daughter. Pulling back the barrier, what she found broke her heart.

Her once strong daughter was curled up, seated on the floor of the shower, she could see the bruising on her arms and was shocked to realize she could make out the distinctive features of a hand. Rory's body was red and irritated from what had to have been a combination of once scalding water and the repeated use of a washcloth; the offending fabric lay discarded in the corner of the stall.

Lorelai quickly turned off the freezing water and grabbed the folded towel from the counter. "Okay Baby, time to get out of the shower." She spoke softly, wrapping the towel around the girl's trembling shoulders. She didn't know if Rory's shivers were due to the cold or shock, but she suspected maybe both.

"Mommy?" The girl's soulful eyes found hers as she helped the girl stand and step out onto the mat.

"I'm here, Baby, you're safe." She enfolded her daughter into her arms, gently rocking them side to side like she did when the girl was younger.

She let Rory sob on her shoulder while she struggled to maintain her composure, both women clinging to each other, neither caring that they were both getting soaked in the process. A few moments later, their tears subsided and Lorelai set to drying her daughter off. It took all her strength to no react to the angry marks on her daughter's delicate skin, evidence of the abuse the girl suffered just a few short hours ago. Once the girl's body was sufficiently dry, she helped her into the clothes that sat next to the sink, tying the drawstring of the sweatpants tighter around the girl's waist.

She found a comb and got her daughter to sit while she gently worked the knots out of the girl's hair before quickly weaving it into a braid. "Are you ready to go out there, Sweets?"

Rory didn't speak, simply nodded and followed her mother back into the living room. Jess and Luke had been waiting for a while for the women to reemerge. Both taking turns pacing and sitting nervously on the couch or chairs in the living area. It was clear both of them had been crying but were trying to regain their control so they could be strong for their women.

Lorelai went immediately to where Luke was seated and settled in his lap. They watched as Rory, dressed in Jess' old Metallica t-shirt, the one he'd stolen back from Rory when he first started at Navy, and a pair of burgundy and gold Marine Military Academy sweatpants. She sat down next to Jess on the couch and curled up next to him, bare toes curling into the space between the cushions and the back of the couch while she laid her head on his lap. Luke and Lorelai shared a confused look before returning their attention to the younger members of their family.

"Is anyone going to tell me what is going on?" Luke demanded after a long bout of silence.

Jess leaned and whispered something in Rory's ear, she simply nodded in response. "Before I tell you, you have to promise not to fly off the handle until I'm done."

"Which means that I will have a damn good reason to be upset," Luke seethed.

"You do," Jess confirmed, "But you need to hear everything because this goes further than just last night."

"So you know who is responsible?" Lorelai was wracking her brain to try and figure out who they could possibly know that would do such a thing, but was coming up blank.

"Yes we do, and the police are looking for him as we speak." Jess informed them.

"Who?" Luke growled, "Who did this to my girl?"

"Logan." Jess stated simply.

"Are you sure?" Lorelai was surprised, "Sure I know he's a cheating ass…"

The sound of Jess' cell phone cut her off. "Sorry I have to take this." He apologized, looking at the screen. Gently lifting Rory from his lap he walked toward the dining area. "Mariano… You're sure?... No, I got it… Thanks, that would really help… Do you know where we are?... Yeah, well if Matty gives you crap, you have my permission to deck him." He chuckled, "She can too… Alright, I'll see you when you get here. Bye."

"What was that about?" Lorelai's nosy nature made itself known.

Jess sighed as he sat back down next to Rory. Taking her hand, he faced her and gently raised her eyes to meet his. "They caught Logan trying to board a flight to Vegas with is buddies." Rory's eyes filled with tears as she nodded her understanding before collapsing into his arms as he whispered sweet, soothing, nothings in her ear.

Luke and Lorelai watched the interaction between the two twenty-somethings, still amazed at their connection after all that time. Rory soon quieted and curled into Jess' side, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Now that we know Rory is safe, and ensured Logan is no longer a threat, would someone _please_ tell me what the hell is going on?" Luke was getting aggravated.

Jess took a steadying breath and spoke as he ran a consoling hand up and down Rory's arm, careful not to press too hard on the bruises that dotted her arm. "I should probably start out by saying that Logan has been harassing and cyberstalking Rory for the past seven months or so; since her articles first started getting syndicated."

"Oh my God," Lorelai whispered.

"It all came to a head a couple nights ago when he showed up for a fundraiser that Rory was covering and I was attending. He asked her to dance and like the polite person she is, she accepted, but he refused to let her go, even after several songs, and repeated requests that he release her. This continued until I stepped in and made him back off. Even after her stormed off, he kept watching her, tracking her every move and trying to intercept her. Luckily Chris, Matt, and I were on to him and blocked his every advance.

Rory had gotten what she needed for her article and was tired so I offered to drive her back to her hotel. There was another confrontation by the valet stand during which I knocked a very drunk Logan on his ass before taking Rory home after warning him to stay away."

"I guess he's as good at taking direction as he is staying faithful," Rory scoffed.

"You sure you want to do this?" Jess asked quietly.

"Yeah," Rory nodded before turning back to her parents, "Last night he showed up at my new hotel; apparently he told the front desk he was my boss. I asked him why he was there and told him he needed to leave but he wouldn't listen. Instead he made some accusations before something in him snapped."

Taking a shaky breath and trying to focus on the hand that Jess had claimed; his thumb was running softly over her knuckles, "Next thing I know he was charging the door, I told him to stop, I told him to leave, but he wouldn't stop. I tried to get away but he was too strong…"

"I'm gonna kill him!" Luke roared, having heard enough to piece together what happened next. He stood, nearly knocking Lorelai off his lap in the process. "I'm gonna go to that jailhouse, and with my bare hands…"

"Get in line," Jess huffed, "I want first crack at him."

"Both of you stop it!" Lorelai demanded, looking between the two enraged marines, "You will do no such thing, you understand me?" Both men nodded before she turned to her daughter. "Are you pressing charges?"

Rory nodded, "They took a kit at the hospital."

"In that case he will have worse coming his way once he's convicted." Lorelai sent a pointed look at her husband and nephew before continuing, "I hear rapists have to live in a special kind of Hell, especially if they attacked an innocent. He'll wish I'd let the pair of you at him as soon as he gets his first boyfriend. A pretty boy like him won't last long in prison."

"'Special Hell?'" Rory chuckled for the first time since the hospital, "You've been watching Firefly again, haven't you?"

"You know I love me some Mal Reynolds," Lorelai was relieved at the shift into their comfortable, light, banter, "Your dad isn't the only Sci-Fi fan in the family."

"I know, have you seen the Star Wars DVDs in this apartment?" Rory gave Jess a teasing look.

"For the millionth time, those are not mine," Jess groaned, "They belong to Matt and Chris."

"Then why are they with your books?" Rory challenged.

"Luke, did you know of this blasphemy? Your poor Trekkie heart must be breaking!" Lorelai gasped.

"Shut up, Crazy Lady," Luke rolled his eyes as he settled back onto the chair, "And for the record, I liked Star Wars when it came out."

Lorelai's quip was cut off by a knock; Jess gave Rory's hand a quick squeeze before going to answer the door. "You found it." He nodded at the dark haired man and woman who had just arrived, "Come on in."

"Rory! Hubby-to-be said you needed your bags, but he wouldn't say why." A young woman with shoulder length black hair and bangs swept into the room.

"There's such a thing as doctor/patient confidentiality, Lucy." Rory informed her with a hug.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, holding Rory at arm's length as her gaze drifted over her friend in search of injuries.

"Logan happened," Rory shook her head before heading into the dining room with Lucy following.

"That rat bastard!" Lucy huffed.

"It'll be okay, Luce," Her fiancé reminded her, "The police have him in custody."

Lorelai and Luke looked up toward the dark haired man, "Marty?"

"Hey Luke," He smiled, shaking the older man's hand who had risen to greet him, "How are Billy and Mimi?"

"They're doing fine; staying with a family friend while we check on Rory." He greeted his daughter's old boyfriend, "What have you been up to?"

"You know getting married," The younger man shrugged but couldn't hide the grin on his face, "I'm a resident at Harrisburg Memorial," He sat on the end of the now abandoned couch, "I was on ER rotation when Rory was brought in."

"You were her doctor?" Lorelai made a face.

"I didn't do the kit if that's what you're concerned about," Marty assured her. "I just ordered it and had one of the nurses do the exam."

"At least she was in good hands." Lorelai admitted, "Weird though it may be, I'm glad it was you. She probably wouldn't have opened up to anyone else."

"That wasn't my doing," He shook his head, "She wouldn't respond to me until Jess go there. Even after that the verbal thing seemed to come and go."

"We noticed that too," Lorelai nodded, "Wait, Jess got her to talk? Our Jess? Jess Mariano?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Aunt Lorelai," Jess quipped from the kitchen where he was busy making coffee and tea while keeping an eye on Rory and Lucy who were talking quietly in the dining room.

Lorelai blushed and shrugged before turning back to Marty, "Not to be a Nosey Nelly or anything, but the girl, Lucy?"

"My fiancée; we're getting married in a few months. You're welcome to come, Rory likely will be there."

"She'd better be," Lucy scoffed, "And she'd better bring mister tall, dark, and brooding with her."

"I'm right here," Jess called back.

"Who said I meant you? I might have meant Matty."

"Matty can't dance nearly as well as Jess, although Chris is a close second." Rory quipped.

"Send us an invite and we'll see what we can do." Lorelai smiled.

"I'll make sure to do that," Marty nodded, "Luce, we should get going. I still have to sleep before my shift tonight."

"Okay Hubby!" She called back before hugging Rory, "You let me know if you need anything, including having Hubby testify."

"I will," Rory promised.

"Nice to meet you Captain, Mrs. Danes." Rory and Marty snickered as Marty gave Rory a quick hug and followed his fiancé out the door.

"What was that?" Lorelai looked at her daughter for an explanation.

"Remember when I came home for Thanksgiving my first year at Yale?" Lorelai nodded, "Paris tried to scare Marty by telling him that my father, 'The Captain,' was a harsh man."

"Well…"

"Can it, Jess."

"Is that why you had to play the silent game with Paris?"

"Yeah," Rory chuckled at the memory as Lorelai shook her head, bemused.

"Can we get back on topic?" Luke huffed, "We have some decisions to make."

Rory nodded and settled on the couch while Jess brought out mugs full of tea and coffee. After handing the mugs out, he sat next to Rory on the couch.

"Where should we start?" Rory asked.

"A lawyer." Lorelai stated simply, "A good one; Logan is a trust fund kid to the core and has probably already secured the best defense lawyer in the country to defend him."

"I kinda want Paris in on this." Rory admitted.

"Is she qualified to try cases here?" Jess asked.

"I don't know, but it's Paris," Rory shrugged, "If I ask her to, she'll do her best to be part of the trial."

"Is it bad I'm starting to feel bad for the little jackass?" Luke remarked dryly, "Just to be safe, do you think we should ask Richard for some recommendations? Surely he has some lawyer buddies who know someone here that would fit."

"Couldn't hurt," Lorelai shrugged with a smirk, "And don't call me Shirley."

"Lorelai," Luke groaned.

"Maybe Grandma will finally stop referring to Logan a 'That charming Huntzberger boy.'"

"Sweets, we all know Grandma lives in her own little fantasy world and enjoys it there." Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"We can stop by the mansion on our way home to discuss it with Richard." Luke nodded, "Which brings us to the next thing we need to figure out. Rory, are you going to go back out on the road or will you be coming home with us?"

"There is a third option," Jess broke in, all three heads turned to him, "She could stay here. The trial will be held here, it makes sense for her to stick around rather than commuting hours on end between here and the Hollow or here and wherever the campaign happens to be whenever there is trial related business to deal with, at least until the trial is over."

"I don't know," Lorelai shook her head, "After all that's happened…"

"Wouldn't it be better for her to be under the protection of a three Marine officer team?"

"He's a poet and he didn't even know it."

"Lorelai…" Her husband warned while Jess rolled his eyes. They debated the matter for a few more minutes until another voice was heard.

"I like option three."

"Huh."

"Are you sure, Sweets?"

"Where will you sleep?"

"Yes I'm sure, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"Like hell you will; you'll take my room. I'll bunk with Matt or Chris." Jess insisted, knowing that the claim would likely be eventually proven false.

"Are you sure they'll be okay with this?" Luke asked.

"Yes, but if they aren't, I have enough saved up to get us a small apartment." Jess informed them, "I doubt that will be necessary once they're clued in on the basics."

"Sounds like you have it all covered." Luke nodded, "Let us know if you need anything. We'll call with Richard's referrals later."

"But…"

"There is one thing," Rory cut off her mom's objection, "Could you please send me some more clothes? Most of the stuff I have with me are work clothes, I won't need those very much until we get closer to the trial."

"Sure thing, Hun, I'll take care of it." Lorelai stood and hugged her daughter before hugging her nephew, "You take care of her."

"I will." He promised.

"Bye Princess, I love you." Her father wrapped her in his strong arms, "Tell me if you need anything and I do mean _anything_."

"I will Daddy, I love you too." She gave the older man a squeeze, "Bye Mom! Love you!" She called out after her mother.

"Love you too, Sweets," One last round of hugs and handshakes later, the elder Danes couple departed.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." Rory sighed, flopping down on the couch.

"Oh no you don't," Jess pulled her up, "You're not sleeping here, you're taking the bed."

"No, I can't steal your bed," She protested, as he guided her into his room.

"You can't steal something that is freely offered." He reminded her, "Your bag is already in there if you want to change."

Rory nodded and ducked into the room just long enough to grab a put on a fresh pear of undergarments and note the size of the bed in the corner of the room. A moment later she emerged, still clad in Jess's shirt and sweats. She stood, watching as Jess struggled to find a comfortable position on the couch.

"You know, the bed is big enough for the both of us." He stilled at the sound of her voice, soft, but shyly bold in a way that is so uniquely Rory.

"I didn't want to rush you, I meant what I said about bunking with one of the guys." He sat up running his fingers through his dark waves. Slowly standing, he made his way to the door and leaned against the wall, "I mean we're so new and then… I just…"

"I know," She nodded, "I just don't want to be alone. We don't have to do anything."

"You're the one who is calling the shots with this," Jess assured her, "I'm following your lead, we won't do anything you're not ready for or comfortable with. We'll start small."

"Like a nap?" She gave him a shy smile.

"A nap sounds nice." He followed her into the room, going to the opposite side of the bed from her. After setting his alarm for two hours, he settled back on the bed. A moment later he felt the bed shift and Rory snuggled up to him. Soon after that, they both drifted off to sleep.


	34. Nightmares and Bar Exams

**Truncheon Apartment  
May 3, 2008  
0753 hours**

Chris had just settled at the table with his coffee when a loud scream startled him into spilling his coffee leaving a very hot dark stain down his shirt. "Shit! Jess man, you gotta do something about your girl."

"She's getting worse," Matt agreed.

"I know," Jess sighed, "I've already talked to her mom, and she'll be here later today to help me convince Rory to see a therapist."

Three hours, two stubborn Danes Dames, and a Mariano later, an agreement was struck. The next week Rory would be starting therapy.

 **Truncheon Apartment  
May 23, 2008  
1610 hours**

"Hi Hunny, I'm home!" Rory chirped as she sailed through the door and into the kitchen to give Jess a quick kiss. Kissing and cuddling were as intimate as they'd gotten over the past month and a half that Rory had been living there, not that either were complaining. They were both enjoying going slow and getting to re-know each other.

"Hey," Jess smiled one of his rare, just for her, smiles, "How was therapy?"

"We sat, we talked, just like every other time I've gone." Rory shrugged," Honestly, I'm still not convinced it's not a waste of my time and hers."

"It is helping," Jess pointed out, pulling her into his arms, "You're not having as many nightmares, you are slowly becoming more social again, you're even working a little."

"Yeah I guess," Rory sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I know it's frustratingly slow," Jess assured her, "I've been there, so have Chris and Matt; we saw and experienced some awful things when we were at the Pentagon and then again when we were on our deployments. We've all done several stints on fake leather couches, and go back when we need to, it's how we keep sane. It may seem like a never-ending process, but you'll feel so much better in the end if you just stick it out."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked, her eyes misting over at the thought of the hardships Jess had to have endured in his life.

"I didn't want to worry you." He wiped away her tears, "I'm a survivor, I'm still here; you'll never be rid of me."

Rory's response was cut off by the apartment door flying open as a stern looking blonde with a business suit, briefcase, and suitcase, stormed in. "I've got 72 hours to pass this bar exam and you're helping me study! I have to pass; I need to be the one to help you nail Huntzberger's smug ass to the wall."

"Paris?" Jess asked, not looking over.

"Paris." Rory chuckled before disengaging from his arms. "I'm gonna go pack, she'll probably have me sequestered in her hotel room for those full 72 hours."

Jess just nodded, kissed her forehead and returned to the kitchen. "She'll just be a minute," He informed the thin woman as he listened to the sounds of rapid packing form his room and then the bathroom as his girlfriend frantically packed enough for the 3-day study session.

"You're the Captain's nephew," It was more of a statement than a question.

"That's one way of putting it," Jess shrugged, "Incidentally, I hold the same rank."

"Interesting," Paris nodded, "I can see why she's willing to bend social convention and mores," she continued in her typical straight-forward fashion, "If you were my step-cousin, and I wasn't already spoken for, I'd probably be willing to roll around the sack with you."

Jess rolled his eyes, "Hey Ror? You almost done in there? Your friend is…"

"Ready!" She called, pulling her small rolling suitcase behind her. "You and the guys stay out of trouble." She added with a quick peck on his lips.

"Always," He promised with a smirk which earned him a knowing look, "One time we prank Chris," He groused amicably.

"We're still pulling feathers from the couch," Rory playfully reprimanded him, "Behave."

"Yes ma'am," He smirked, pressing one last kiss to her lips, "Love you," He whispered low enough that only she could hear, "No coffee."

"No coffee needed," She grinned, following Paris out the door, "See you in a few days!"

 **Truncheon Café  
May 31, 2008  
2005 hours**

"See, I told you that you had nothing to worry about," Rory smiled at her friend who was holding the results of her recent BAR exam.

"Round of drinks for everyone!" Crowed Matt.

"Except you, Matty." Chris reminded him smugly, "12 hours bottle to throttle, man."

"10 minutes won't make a difference," He protested.

"Your court marshal," Chris shrugged.

"I hate you," Matt pouted, grabbing a soda, "You know I was thinking when this tour is over, we should open a bar. I mean we do well enough here with the café, the fam does well with the diner, why not a bar?"

"Do you have a name for this hypothetical watering hole?" Rory asked.

"I was thinking something along the lines of 'Cedar Bar Redux,'" He stated proudly.

"Absolutely not," Chris shot him down.

"Might as well call it the 'Devoid of Original Ideas Poseur Bar,'" Jess scoffed.

"Actually that isn't a bad idea," Paris added, "And you avoid a potential lawsuit from the Cedar Bar people. The irony factor may even work in your favor if you go with Jess' suggestion, sarcastic though it was."

"Are you sure you want to expand?" Chris asked, "I'm still leaning toward extending my contract, Jess still has not idea what he's going to do. You could wind up doing this alone."

"Bridge can take over the shop," Matt shrugged, "She's been working more here than at the diner and seems to have found her niche helping out with the accounts. If she does that, it frees me up to deal with the bar."

"Just think about it, man, that's all I'm saying." Chris advised.

"Not that this should be discussed whilst drinking, but before we get too far gone, we should come up with a strategy for your trial." Paris informed Rory.

"How about telling the truth?" Jess suggested as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"No kidding, Hemmingway," Paris's monotone clearly indicating she was not amused, "Will we use witnesses, was a kit taken, any other evidence we need to include?"

"No, a kit was taken at the hospital," Rory informed her, "We could get Marty and the porter to testify."

When Paris gave her a blank look, Rory continued, "Marty Harris, from Yale? Lucy's fiancé?" She rolled her eyes at her friend's clueless expression, "Anyway, he was the doctor on duty when I was admitted."

"You will have to testify as well," Paris continued, all business as she made notes on her napkin, "Can you handle it?"

"I think so," Rory nodded, "It's getting easier to talk about."

"Are you going to use the stalking stuff against him?" Jess asked.

"'Stalking'?" Paris nearly screamed, "He was stalking you? Why didn't you say something? I could have come down and taught you some Krav Maga."

"It wasn't like that," Rory protested, "Or at least not until that night. Just emails and voice messages asking me to take him back."

"Do you still have them?"

"No, I just deleted them." Rory blushed, "I didn't know I should."

"Never mind," Pairs huffed, "We'll just have to subpoena your cell company and email providers. Did he use your personal or work email or both?"

Rory relayed her cellphone and email information to her friend turned legal counsel. Once the details were set, the women joined in on the celebratory indulging because, after all, they were celebrating Paris' ability to prosecute Rory's case.


	35. Rory's Day in Court

**Harrisburg Municipal Courthouse  
June 24, 2009  
1425 hours**

The trial had begun the previous morning with a very smug looking Logan strolling into the courthouse in a sharp suit, joined by an equally sharp dressed older man whose reputation as a shark proceeded him. As the day wore on, Logan began to look more and more disheveled from fidgeting nervously with his tie and running his fingers through his once perfectly coifed hair; a nervous habit he'd never been able to break. It wasn't just the evidence piling up against him, but the fact that his shark of a lawyer severely underestimated Paris "The Pitbull" Gellar who was taking perverse joy in destroying the man's defense strategy. By the time they'd returned from lunch, much of Logan's support had migrated to Rory's side of the room, including Colin and Finn who were now shooing disgusted looks at their former friend.

The court had heard from the room service porter, the nurse who had examined Rory, Marty, Jess, and had seen all the evidence from the attack as well as the emails and voicemails Rory had received. Just before one o'clock Rory was called to the stand.

"Ace, why are you doing this to me?" Logan pleaded with her for the hundredth time since the trial had begun.

"Mr. Huntzberger, one more outburst and you will be held in contempt of court." The judge chastised him, "Counsel, I strongly suggest you get control of your client."

"Yes, your honor." The older man nodded.

"Miss Gellar, you may proceed," The judge nodded.

Just as they'd planned, Paris asked Rory a series of questions outlining her relationship with Logan both past and present before leading her into more difficult questions regarding the unwanted contact and eventual attack. Rory answered all the questions, her blue eyes never leaving Paris's brown ones, even when the defense counsel cross-examined her, trying to sully her character.

"Tell me, Miss Danes," The older lawyer gave her a smarmy smile, "Have you ever been in trouble with the law?"

"Objection, your honor!" Paris interjected, "Relevance?"

"Setting a precedent for decision making and mental state." The older man stated as if it were obvious and Paris was just trying to pester him.

"I'll allow it, but only because I'm curious as to how you are going to make this line of questioning relevant to the matter at hand, but tread lightly, counselor." The judge warned.

"Thank you, your honor. Now Miss Danes, have you ever been in trouble with the law?"

Rory spared Logan a brief withering stare, knowing full well that her record had been expunged and the only way the lawyer would have known anything was if Logan had told him. "Yes," She sighed, "Logan and I stole a yacht when I was 20 years old." She attempted to point out that she had done her community service and the charge had been expunged, but the lawyer cut her off, pacing the floor like a jungle gat stalking its prey.

"What was your mental state at that time?"

"I was upset," Rory explained.

"So you are prone to making bad decisions when upset?" The lawyer pressed, it was more statement than question.

"No, I…" She started.

"How are we supposed to know you didn't just sleep with my client and regret cheating on your boyfriend so you called rape?" He demanded.

"Do you think I wanted this to happen?" Rory's voice rising as she spoke, "Do you honestly think I would want to sleep with the man who had been stalking me _for months_ when I have a boyfriend who I love and want to spend the rest of my life with?"

"Maybe you just like it rough and were embarrassed by the bruises," The smarmy lawyer speculated.

"No! You hear that word?" Rory shot back, ignoring the proud looks on the faces of her friends and family, even Paris was smirking, albeit hidden by a carefully placed pseudo-thoughtful hand. "I was just as capable of saying it that night as I am today, and I used it repeatedly along with 'stop,' 'leave,' 'you're hurting me,' 'I don't want you here,' and 'get off of me.' Not that those phrases mattered because the moment I said 'no,' it became rape." Rory was breathing heavy by the time she was done; long gone was the slightly glazed over look her eyes had been sporting since the attack, they were now laser focused and staring daggers at Logan who was sliding lower in his seat, almost as if he wanted to melt into the floor.

"I think I've heard enough." The judge broke in, "Miss Danes you may sit down now."

Rory simply nodded and returned to her seat at the table by Paris, sharing a quick hug with her parents as Jess gave her a knowing smirk and mouthed, 'No coffee.' She smiled back and mouthed the same back to him over her father's shoulder before taking her seat. Everyone sat in reverent silence as the judge shuffled papers on his desk before clearing his throat and organizing the notes in front of him.

With a small nod from the judge, the bailiff had everyone rise. Rory reached back and felt a strong hand grasp hers and give it a small squeeze, she didn't have to look to know who it was.

The judge slowly looked over the courtroom before beginning to speak. "Based on the evidence presented and testimony given, this court has reached its verdict. Mister Huntzberger, you have been found guilty on both the charge of Rape and the charge of Harassment by use of Telephone or Media. You will be remanded into custody until your sentencing hearing next Tuesday, July first."

A collective sigh of relief went up from Rory's side of the room as the judge banged his gavel followed closely by a grown from the Huntzberger camp. Rory and Paris shared a rare hug before turning and being embraced by her family.

"How are you Luv?" Rory recognized the melodic accent of her ex's best friend.

"Better than I was," She sighed, allowing Finn to pull her into his arms.

"I'm sorry," She felt Colin's hand on her shoulder, "If we'd known…"

"It's okay," She assured him, slipping out of Finn's arms and into his, "You didn't know."

"You will let us know if you need anything, won't you Luv?" Finn asked, "Just because Logan's proven himself to be a complete arse to say the least, doesn't mean that we are."

"I appreciate that, but I'm fine, really." She assured the them both, "I would like it if we could stay in touch, though; I've missed you both."

"Absolutely," Colin grinned.

"You haven't already burnt our contact info along with our visages, have you?" Finn asked.

"No, I still have the numbers, assuming they are still your numbers," She chuckled, "I could never bring myself to delete them."

"Hey Ror; ready to go home?" Jess asked, coming up beside her. He had placed his hand at the small of her back and was now rubbing his thumb along her spine, shooting thrills through her body with each pass.

"In a sec. Jess, I'd like you to meet Colin and Finn, they're old friends from Yale." She explained.

"Nice to meet you," Jess shook their hands.

"You too, shame it had to be under these circumstances." Finn nodded, "You take care of our girl here."

"I will," Jess nodded.

"See you later, Luv," Finn kissed her cheek. Colin gave her a quick smirk and squeezed her hand before following his friend out the courthouse door.

"Can we go now?" Jess asked, his thumb never ceasing its motion as he spoke.

"God, yes," She leaned into him, "I think Mom and Dad are starting to get suspicious."

"Do you want to tell them?" He asked.

"Not today," Rory shook her head, "I've had enough drama to last me a few weeks."

"Okay," He nodded and guided her out the door and to his car to head home.

 **Truncheon Books and Café  
July 1, 2008  
1307 hours**

Rory was just walking into the shop when the phone began to ring at the front desk. A quick look around revealed that none of the guys were available. Knowing her shift would be starting soon, she grabbed the cordless extension and headed toward the apartment stairs. "Truncheon Books and Café, this is Bunny; what can I do you for?"

" _Do you have anything in handsome, flannelled, Marine_?" Lorelai joked.

"Sorry, fresh out, but we have three 20-something, bookish, Marines left." Rory quipped.

" _Too young, I like mine about 20 years older with a nice, big…_ "

"Mom!" Rory scolded.

" _Diner_ ," Lorelai scoffed, " _Get your mind out of the gutter_."

"What's up?" Rory rolled her eyes, "I'm guessing there was a specific reason for your call, aside from harassing the staff of the bookstore."

" _Does a mother need a reason to call her favorite eldest daughter_?"

"I'm your only eldest daughter," Rory pointed out, balancing the cordless on her shoulder as she let herself into the apartment. "You better not let Mimi hear you saying that. She may not understand the joke."

" _I'm safely tucked into my office away from little ears_." Lorelai informed her, " _Speaking of, how was the sentencing hearing_?"

"How was that a 'speaking of'?" She chuckled, pulling a burgundy blouse and a pair of jean capris out of her drawer, putting her mother on speaker while she changed out of the business clothes she'd worn to court.

" _Logan has freakishly small ears_." Lorelai offered, causing Rory to roll her eyes in a very Dames-like fashion. " _So_?"

"He got 10 years for rape and 2 for stalking." Rory relayed as she located and slipped on a pair of black flats.

" _Good_ ," Lorelai nodded, " _So what are you up to this week_?"

"Helping out the guys around the store," She shrugged, pulling her hair up in a ponytail, "Chris is dealing with a couple new artists this week, Jess is in writing overload between his second novel and editing five others, and Matt is on recruiter duty all week."

" _Are you ever coming home or are you going to stay indefinitely_?"

"Well Marty and Lucy's wedding is in a couple weeks, so I think I'll stick around until at least then." She replied, heading back down the stairs, "The campaign will be coming back through Philly in August, I'm thinking of rejoining when it does."

" _I bet your guy will like that_ ," Lorelai chuckled, " _How's he feel about you living with your cousin and his two buddies_?"

"He's okay with it," Rory smiled, "I do have my own room, you know."

" _Still together_?"

"Still together," Rory confirmed as a few young adults walked in, "Hey Mom, I gotta go."

" _Why so mean to Mommy_?" Lorelai feigned insult.

"I have customers, Mom." Rory sighed, "I'll talk to you later."

" _Fine leave your poor mother to wither away from boredom_."

"So dramatic," Rory rolled her eyes, "Go, bug Michel if you're bored; bye Mom."

" _Bye sweets_ ," Lorelai hung up to go pester her concierge.


	36. Functions and Future Plans

**Truncheon Apartment  
July 17, 2008  
0830 hours**

"I don't understand why we have to drive in today when the wedding isn't until Saturday night." Jess complained as he continued to pack, although at a slower pace than his girlfriend.

"We've been over this, Jess," Rory huffed good naturedly, "A, the drive is nearly two hours under the best circumstance and I don't want to get stuck in traffic and arrive late. Two, Marty invited you and Matty to his bachelor party tonight and I've likewise been invited to Lucy's. Three, we're leaving early because I don't want to be rushed tonight getting ready for the party; and D, I'm your girlfriend and you love me so you'll do whatever I ask you to. Not to mention, I'll make it worth your while." Rory finished flirtatiously.

"Dirty," Jess husky voice responded dutifully as he tossed his shaving kit into the suit case they were sharing. He'd noticed over the past couple weeks that she'd been slowly becoming more open and flirtatious with him. He was enjoying it, but he also hoped that it was leading somewhere. He didn't want to push her faster than she was comfortable with which, at times, left him more than a little uncomfortable. "What am I supposed to bring with me for the weekend, I know socks and boxers won't go too far."

"No, but I'd enjoy it," She winked, a smile playing on her lips, "Don't worry about it, I packed you something for the wedding, all you gotta do is pack is something for tonight and tomorrow, what you wear for the shop should be fine."

Jess nodded as he gathered what he needed for the next couple days. Just as he was tossing the last of his clothes in the bag, he heard a knock on his door. "Hey Matt," He called over his shoulder, "I'm just about done here."

"Sounds good; we taking my car or yours?" Matt leaned against the door frame.

"Do you mind taking both?" Jess asked, "I'd kinda like my car so I can take Rory out for dinner or something tomorrow."

"Yeah, no problem," Matt nodded, standing awkwardly until Jess turned back to him.

"Something else?"

"She's doing better, isn't she?" Matt asked.

"Yeah," Jess nodded, a hint of relief and sadness in his voice, "I don't think she's had a nightmare since the trial ended; I think confronting Logan about what happened was the last step she needed to finally start putting it behind her."

"She'll be leaving again soon," Matt pointed out.

"In a few weeks, well that's the plan anyway. The campaign is going to take a few days here again and she'll be leaving with them when they leave." Jess nodded, "I know she has to go, it's her job, but I'm used to having her around now."

"You're not the only one," Matt chuckled, "I like having her helping out in the shop. Did you know she has the next four issues of the 'zine ready to go to the printers? I don't know how she does it. That girl of yours has a gift."

"If she ever needs a break or tires of the roving reporter thing, she'd make a great editor." Jess agreed with pride.

"Jess!" Rory drew out his name like Lorelai begging Luke for attention, "Are you done packing I need Danes strength coffee, STAT!"

"You're a Danes," Jess reminded her, "Make if yourself; besides, I'm a Mariano."

"Yeah, but you're a Danes by blood," Rory countered, "So you have the magic coffee-making touch. Besides I need to finish packing."

"So much work!" Jess griped playfully.

"Yeah, but I'm worth it." Rory grinned at kissed him.

"I guess," He smirked before heading toward the kitchen, "Go get packed, I'll make this to go."

"On it," Rory called back, packing the last of her things.

"Take something sexy, he's taking you out," Matt advised with a wink before going to load his bags in the car.

"Thanks for the heads up," Rory nodded, going to the closet and grabbing a sundress she knew would turn Jess' head. She'd already packed a knock out dress for the wedding that coordinated with what she'd packed for Jess. Within a few minutes, she was done and calling for Jess to take their bags down to the car.

"As you wish," He smirked, collecting the bags.

"Farm Boy, where's my coffee?" She teased.

"On the counter," He called over his shoulder.

While Jess loaded up the car and confirmed direction with Matt, Rory grabbed their travel mugs. By the time she headed down, both men were ready to go.

 **Gettysburg Hotel – Jess and Rory's room  
July 17, 2008  
2000 hours**

Jess was buttoning the last button of his shirt when Rory came out of the bathroom wearing a boat neck little black dress that ended just above her knees. Around her neck she wore his grandmother's pearls, a gift she'd received from his uncle when she graduated college. She gave him a shy smile before sitting on the bed and putting her pumps on.

"Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?" He asked, offering his hand to let her stand, the black pumps boosting her to nearly his height.

"Not today, but a girl can never hear it too much." She kissed him softly.

"Mmmm," He liked her strawberry gloss from his lip, "You look absolutely gorgeous Miss Danes."

"You're looking pretty good yourself, Mister Mariano," She smiled up at him as she toyed with the buttons on his shirt, her eyes sparking mischievously as she started to undo the buttons.

Her actions were paused by a knock on the door, "That's probably our rides." She quirked a small smile.

"Huh," Jess never looked away from her, "I guess I'll be seeing you later tonight."

"I'll be the one in the bed," She gave him a quick peck before opening the door.

"I'll be the one holding you in the morning." He promised, following her out.

 **Gettysburg Hotel  
July 18, 2008  
1835 hours**

Jess was pacing the lobby, waiting for Rory to come down. He didn't know why he was so nervous. True, it was their first official date, but they had been living together for three months. Not to mention they had known each other for 10 years.

All the worry went out of his head when she appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly wanting to make an entrance. He had seen her dressed up the night before, but it didn't take away from the vision he beheld. She wore a soft purple halter top dress with a sweetheart neckline that hugged her body to the waist, accenting all her natural features. Around her waist, she wore a thin grey belt, the skirt fluttered delicately as she descended. On her feet, she wore a pair of strappy white sandals; Jess smirked as his gaze slowly traveled up her body, taking in everything from the dress to her shoes, to the locket she wore around her neck and the way stray curls escaped from where her hair was swept up in delicate loops atop her head.

"Wow," Jess breathed as she approached, "You look beautiful. Is this why you kicked me out of the room?" She nodded, "So worth it."

"You don't look half bad yourself," She complemented, taking in his dark red oxford and black slacks before noticing what he held in his hand, "Is that for me?"

"Yeah I know it's not original, but…" He handled the single red tulip to her.

"I don't care," She smelled the flower before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Shall we go?" He offered his arm.

"Let's shall," Rory looped her arm through his and allowed him to escort her out the door and into his waiting car.

Rory didn't know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't the posh Italian restaurant that they pulled up to. While she was not unfamiliar with the nicer things in life, thanks to the influence of her grandparents, she was still surprised that Jess chose the fine establishment. Not that she thought he was taking her to the Sizzler, but this was something else. She gave him a small smile as Jess handed his key off to the valet and offered his arm to her once more.

She chuckled quietly when Jess waved the maître d off and pulled out her seat for her, sliding the seat slowly forward as she took her seat. She smiled warmly as he placed their orders, insisting that she would not be disappointed in the selection. Her eyes lit up when he toasted them with a quiet "Salute" as he tapped his wine glass against hers, watching in enjoyment as she savored the rich and slightly sweet flavor.

"Jess," She sighed, "This is all too much."

"Nothing is too much for my girl," He assured her, taking her hand and gently running his thumb over her knuckles, "Especially since we don't have much longer before you have to go again."

"I know," She smiled sadly, "I wish I didn't have to go. I'd much rather stay with you."

"Me too," He nodded, "But this is a once in a lifetime chance, who knows if you'll be given this opportunity again in another four or eight years. This is what you've worked for all these years, while it may not be a foxhole in Bagdad or an assassination in Yemen, you are there witnessing history and allowing others to witness it through you. This is important work you are doing."

"I know, but I like working at the bookstore too." She shrugged.

"I like working with you, but this won't be forever. When the campaign ends, win, lose, or draw, maybe we can settle somewhere in Philly or wherever, someplace that's just ours, away from the prying eyes of roommates, family, and town gossips."

"Jess…"

"I'm not saying tomorrow, but someday." He assured, knowing that she was nowhere near being ready to take that step yet.

"Someday sounds nice," She agreed, thinking that it wouldn't be so bad seeing him every day but knowing that if that were to happen it probably wouldn't be for a long while.

The spoke about everything and nothing as was their way, broaching subject from politics to books to the antics of her younger siblings. Soon their dinner was finished and dessert was consumed as soft music drifted over them. She was surprised when Jess silently stood and offered his hand, looking meaningfully between her and the small dance floor. "You just want an excuse to feel me up in public," She teased.

"Damn, you caught me." He chuckled as she took his hand. He guided her to the floor and pulled her into his arms.

"Where did you learn to be such a gentleman?" She smiled up at him.

"Are you insinuating that I'm not?" He challenged.

"No, I'm saying that you're not."

"Rory Danes, you cut me to the quick." He mocked, leaning back at her smiling face, glad to see the sparkle back in her eyes again, "You forget I had an excellent role model in Luke, he taught me all this smooth stuff before your cotillion, if you recall. Not to mention that part of officer training still includes lessons in deportment, some traditions never die, and that one has still stuck from when officers were primarily made up of the upper crust. Besides, it helps me seduce the ladies."

"What ladies?"

"Lady," He amended, "One lady, and I think it may just be working."

"Pretty confident in that assessment, aren't we Captain?"

"Well, don't you agree?"

"Yes, I would say so." She smiled up at him, "But I love you for more than your gentlemanly ways."

"Is that your way of saying you just want me for my body?" He teased.

"In a manner of speaking," She teased before looking up at him, a thoughtfully but serious look on her face, "I think I may be ready soon."

"Ready?" Jess asked, looking at her expression as she grinned at the affect her words and meaning had on him. "Really? Are you sure?"

"Maybe not tonight, but soon," Rory spoke softly, laying her head on his shoulder, "I want you to be my first, in a manner of speaking."

"You're putting a lot of pressure on me," Jess said, semi-jokingly as he stroked his hand soothingly up and down her back.

"I don't mean to, and I know it won't be easy." Rory sighed, "I just want it to be good again, I trust you. I…"

"I know," Jess assured her, accepting her unspoken words of affection. "I know," He repeated, pressing a soft kiss on her temple, "There's no rush, I've waited this long, I can wait a bit longer. It'll happen when it happens, when it's right, until then I'm content with us just as we are."

"You're amazing, have I ever told you that?"

"No but a guy can never tire of hearing it." He teased, echoing her words from earlier.

"You're amazing."

"You are so incredibly beautiful." He smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. _I hope I do well by her, she deserves so much better than me._

 _I can't believe he loves me so much, I only hope I can do his devotion justice, he deserves better than some broken woman. But damn it if I don't love him just as much._ She thought, laying her head back on his shoulder to enjoy the rest of their dance. What seemed like mere moments later, although they both knew it was probably longer, they headed back to the hotel, both not only looking forward to the wedding of Rory's friends who had over the last few months become Jess' friends too, but to their own future, together, apart, or somewhere in between.


	37. Harris Wedding Mature Ending

**Gettysburg Hotel  
July 19, 2008  
1330 hours**

"Hey Rory? Where are my clothes?" Jess called through the bathroom door. A moment later, he heard shuffling before the door opened a crack; the portal only opening wide enough for a perfectly manicured hand and garment bag could be stuck through.

"Sorry, I didn't think you'd be getting ready just yet." Rory explained as he grabbed the conveyance, "Do you need in here? I'm going to be a little longer yet."

"I'm good," Jess assured her, "You get beautiful, I'll use Matt's head if I get desperate."

"Dirty," Rory laughed through the door.

"You know what I meant," Jess shook his head, "What am I gonna do with you?"

"Dirty!" She giggled again a fake scandalous tone to her voice.

"Oh, just get ready," Jess rolled his eyes as he laid the garment bag on the bed and lowered the zipper, chuckling at the items contained. "Rory?"

"It was at the request of the bride," Her sing-song voice echoed from the bathroom, "Matty has his too."

"Fine," He groaned, lifting the material from its vinyl enclosure, "Did you…"

"In the bag with the shammy." She called back. Jess smirked at how thorough his girlfriend was as he lifted the small bag containing his dress shoes that had already been polished to a glossy shine.

Knowing it would likely take a while for Rory to be ready, he took his time, checking each item meticulously as he used to for competitions and honor guard in high school and college. Finding everything in order, he set to changing into the pre-arranged clothing.

Just as he was tying his shoes he heard the door open, a moment later he saw red toes peeking out of the tip of a pair of sexy, strappy, black, heeled, sandals that were now inches from the toe of his own dress shoes. Securing the knot, he allowed his eyes to slowly take in the shapely legs. Just above the knees he was met with deep red lace that seemed to grow darker another few inches higher where the black backing started. The dress hugged every curve, and had a slit in the back to allow for movement. His eyes drifted ever higher, taking in how the V-neck highlighted her natural assets while still maintaining an air of modesty and opened to wide straps over the shoulders. He grinned appreciatively a he took in the curls pinned up on his girlfriend's head, the subtle makeup brought attention to her bright blue eyes and her kissable ruby red lips testing his resolve.

"You like?" She asked, turning a slow circle so he could further appreciate how the dress clung to her thin frame.

"I may not let you out of the room." He husked, trying to catch his breath, "I know I said it a lot this weekend, but wow."

"There's the eloquent response I was looking for," She teased, "And may I say, you look pretty 'wow' yourself."

"You've seen me in my dress blues before." He reminded her, "Several times in fact."

"I know," She stepped into his arms, smoothing his jacked over his shoulders, "But the sight of you in uniform really does it for me."

"Dirty," He growled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, "Mmm, cherry."

Rory simply smiled, wiping the color that had transferred off his lips, "Thought you'd like it," She turned toward the dresser, grabbing her black handbag and wrap, the latter of which Jess took from her and placed over her shoulders before guiding her out the door.

The wedding was taking place in the banquet hall and since Jess and Matt were serving as ushers, Matt was waiting in the lobby for them. "Yowza!" He looked appreciatively at Rory who was hanging onto Jess's crooked left arm, causing her to blush.

"Down Matt," Jess rolled his eyes.

"Would you care for another escort, milady?" Matt offered his right arm to her. She gave him an easy smile and looped her arm though his, chuckling as her escorts bantered back and forth as they made their way through the ornately decorated passageways to where the wedding coordinator was waiting for them.

"Good afternoon," the 20-something blonde greeted them. "Harris wedding?"

"Yep, that's what we came for," Rory confirmed, "I brought you some ushers."

"And what a wonderfully handsome pair they are," The coordinator smiled, "My name is Katherine, and you are?"

"I'm Jess," He nodded, then indicated his companions, "This is Rory, and the doofus on the end is Matt."

"Nice to meet you," Katherine smiled, "I've heard nothing but good things about all of you from the happy couple."

"Good to hear," Rory chirped.

"Lucy is asking for you," Katherine turned to Rory, "The guests will be here soon. Gentlemen, I think you can figure out what to do; the bride's family and friends to the left, groom's to the right. Anyone who is friends with both, balance them out."

"Hold seats behind the families for the three of you." She reminded the men who simply nodded their understanding. "Rory, if you would follow me, I'll take you to Lucy."

"You two behave yourselves while I'm gone." She playfully instructed, "No sabre fights."

"Dirty," The men chorused with a chuckle. Rory simply rolled her eyes and kissed both men on the cheek before following the wedding planner down the hall.

"You are one lucky girl to have two handsome Marines escorting you." Katherine smiled.

"I think so," Rory responded coyly, "But really only Jess is escorting me, Matty is tagging along until a better prospect comes up."

"He's single?"

"Yes, he lives in Philly where he, Jess, and another buddy of theirs own a bookstore." Rory rattled off proudly, "They rotate through running the store and working in the recruitment center as they are all still active duty until October, assuming they don't take a new commission. I don't even know what they're going to do and I've been staying with them the last few months."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a journalist; the online magazine I work for had me following Senator Obama's campaign trail."

"'Had'?"

"I've been on sabbatical since April, personal reasons, but have been doing some freelance stuff around Philly as of late," Rory offered.

"Anything I may have seen?"

"Mostly book reviews," She shrugged, "Since I also help out in the bookstore, I have easy access to new and classic literature. One of my first reviews was on my newest favorite book, 'The Subsect'."

"Wait, you're Rory Danes?" The planner stopped in her tracks and looked at Rory in awe.

"Guilty," Rory blushed.

"You know I read 'The Subsect' on your recommendation." Katherine informed her as they continued down the hall.

"What did you think?" Rory quirked an eyebrow, always interested to see what others thought of Jess' book.

"I really liked it," Katherine smiled, "Even more the second time around."

"That's a pretty common reaction," Rory nodded, "Just wait until you get to your fourth or fifth time through, it somehow gets even better with repeated reading."

"This is your stop," Katherine stopped in front of a door about halfway down the hall, "Thanks for the recommendation, I'll have to pick your brain later when I'm not as busy."

"I'll see you after the bouquet toss then," She chuckled, then noticed Katherine's surprised look, "My mom and her best friend own an inn back home. She was also the event coordinator as well as the Executive Manager at The Independence Inn in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. I used to help out from time to time as well; I know how crazy it gets at these things."

"She sounds like an amazing woman." Katherine commented.

"She is, maybe some time if you're not busy you can come up for a weekend, get away from the big city and enjoy the small-town charm for a bit." Rory suggested.

"I may have to take you up on that." Katherine opened the door, "What is the name of your mom's new place?"

"The Firefly Inn." Rory supplied, a proud grin gracing her lips.

"Oh my God!" Katherine enthused, "You mean your mom is Lorelai Danes?! What are the chances of that?"

"Well considering she gave me her name, I'd say pretty good," Rory laughed.

"Sorry, I get a little star struck from time to time, but it passes quickly." Katherine blushed.

"Would you be able to handle it if I told you the identity of the man who wrote 'The Subsect'?" Rory gave her a teasing look.

"I think I could mildly restrain myself," Katherine joked.

"It's Jess, he started writing it during his first tour in Iraq."

"I think I may have to make you my new best friend," Katherine teased, "You are connected to all these amazing people, and are such an amazing person yourself."

"You're not too bad yourself," Rory smirked, "Just promise not to maul Jess when you get back to the banquet hall."

"I promise not to bug him for an auto graph until after the reception is nearly over."

"That's all I ask." Rory grinned.

"Rory, I hate to rain on your popularity parade and all, but it is my wedding day," Lucy playfully chided her friend.

"Sorry Luce," Rory chuckled, "What can I do for you?"

An hour later, Jess met Rory at the doors to the banquet hall as she returned from helping Lucy with last minute preparations for the ceremony. "Bride or Groom?" He asked, a smirk on his lips as he offered his arm to her.

"Neither, I'm just a guest." She teased, "But if you have any handsome Marines in attendance, I wouldn't mind sitting near one of them."

"I think I know just the place," Jess played along, walking her down the aisle and stopping at the third row, where there were two seats reserved for them. A single seat was directly across the aisle for, Rory assumed, Matt to sit in once the ceremony started. Rory began to move in the row, when Jess stopped her. "It's usually customary to offer a tip for the assistance."

Rory gave him a soft kiss that held the promise of more, "Will that hold you until I can offer better payment?"

"And what would this better payment be?" He whispered in her ear.

"That's for me to know and you to suffer wondering at." She gave him a coy smile.

"Evil, evil, woman," Jess smirked, "I love it."

"And I love you." She smiled back at him as he took his seat next to her.

The wedding was beautiful, Rory smiled at how happy Marty and Lucy looked as they recited their vows. She felt Jess' hand squeeze hers as the vows were repeated bye the couple as if to silently promise the same to her. The simple gesture made her blush at the meaning.

Jess hadn't been at a wedding since his uncle's many years ago, but unlike the last time, he sat enraptured at the words spoken. He'd subconsciously taken Rory's hand when the couple had been instructed by the minister to join hands, he rubbed lazy circles on the back of her hand as the minister spoke on the joys and responsibilities of marriage. As the vows were exchanged he found himself silently promising along with the married couple to love, honor, protect, and obey the woman who had captured his heart for as long as she would have him.

Soon the couple was announced and running down the aisle soon joined by their wedding party and parents who were off to take pictures while the guests enjoyed a cocktail hour as the ballroom was transitioned for the reception. The happy couple and their entourage reappeared nearly an hour later as the guests were taking their seats for dinner. Rory couldn't help but appreciate the genius of Katherine who had deliberately planned to hold the first dance until the couple had time to enjoy their meal. Rory couldn't help but smile as Marty and Lucy took the floor a half hour later to share their first dance. Soon all couples were invited to join them on the floor. As Jess helped her from her seat, Rory noticed Katherine leaning against a wall, a proud smile on her face as she watched the happy couple and all their guests enjoying themselves.

"Matt, why don't you go ask Katherine to dance?" Rory suggested, "She could probably use the break."

Matt followed her line of sight to the pretty blonde before giving her a silent nod and heading towards the planner in question. Rory smirked at the surprised blushingly pleased look on Katherine's face when Matt offered his hand. Jess simply shook his head at his girlfriend's matchmaking attempt as he brought her into his arms. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you?"

"She deserves to have a little fun tonight too," Rory explained, "She has spent a lot of time and effort to create this beautiful evening for Marty and Lucy, the least we can do is let her let her hair down for a few moments here and there. Oh and by the way, you're next."

"Me?" Jess looked at her perplexed, "Pimping me out already?"

"Just your signature," Rory shrugged, "She's a fan; I promise if you give her an autograph, you'll be rewarded later."

"You keep making these promises of rewards…" Jess smirked.

"I've decided I'm ready." She smiled into his neck as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"You sure?" He looked at her, concern and caution painted across his features.

"I'm sure." She assured him with a blinding smile.

"Okay," Jess nodded, trying his best to stay calm.

The rest of the night passed smoothly, Jess and Rory enjoyed the events of the night and even shared a few more dances. Jess smirked as he watched Rory enjoy not one, not two, but four pieces of wedding cake, one of which she tried to feed to him. They couldn't help but laugh when Rory caught the bouquet only to have the garter land squarely in Jess' lap, despite his efforts to not participate. Before long, the happy couple was leaving the reception to catch their flight to Fiji where they would spend their honeymoon. Soon after, Katherine came bustling over, a pen in one hand and a copy of _The Subsect_ in her other hand asking for Jess' autograph, which he dutifully supplied.

"Ready to go?" He whispered in her ear as she gave him a slow, sexy, smile and nodded. "Matt, we're going to head up now, we'll see you in the morning."

"Okay, I think I'll escort this lovely lady," He nodded toward Katherine, "Around the dance floor for a little bit then head up myself."

"Good luck with that," Jess smirked, placing his hand on the small of Rory's back and led her out of the ballroom and up the stairs to their room.

The moment the door closed behind them, they were in each other's arms. Jess was the first to break the kiss. "Slow down, Babe, we have all night." Rory blushed, "I know I've asked this a lot, but before we go further I just want to make sure you're okay with this. I don't want you doing this just because you think I expect it of you or you think you owe it to me or something."

"I know you don't Jess," She assured him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his shoulder. "I want this, I want you. God, I love you so much."

"I love you too," Jess murmured in her ear before lifting her chin to give her a soft kiss to which Rory responded in kind.

Slowly their kisses became more fervent, more passionate. Rory's hands made quick work of the belt and fastenings of Jess's jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and onto the floor, leaving him in his slacks and grey undershirt. In unison, and without breaking the kiss, they moved toward the foot of the bed where a long bench stood. Jess slowly lowered Rory to the seat moving enough to trail slow, tortuous, kisses along her jaw and neck as his hands slowly traced her sides. Rory felt a shiver run through her as he broke the kiss, the sensation of his rough hands slowly glided along her calves and to her ankles making her moan in anticipation as he slowly released the straps of her sandals. His lips met hers once more in a brief kiss as he stood and toed off his shoes before offering his hand to assist her up.

Without the shoes on, she was about four inches shorter than he was, she loved the fact that even though he wasn't the tallest man, she still had to look up at him. She felt one of his hands snake around her waist, the other burying itself in her hair as he drew her closer to his solid frame. As the kissing resumed, she let her hands slide gently over his hips, slowly untucking his shirt from his pants so she could run her hands along his muscled back. The kiss was only broken a moment to allow for the shirt to be lifted over Jess' head, before he felt her hands once more on his hips, this time her nimble fingers quickly released the zipper and hook holding his slacks up and letting the fabric fall down around his ankles. "You know, I'm feeling a little underdressed here." He murmured between kisses and felt her grin against his lips.

"Oh, whatever shall we do about that?" She asked coyly, turning her back to him in a silent request for him to help her with her zipper. Jess felt his mouth run dry as he slowly drew the tab down toward her narrow waist, each inch exposing more of her soft flesh and glimpses of something that oozed sex and lace hidden beneath. Reaching the end of the zipper, he slowly eased the dress from her shoulders, allowing the lace and satin to pool at her feet. He quickly stepped out of his own clothing and offered his hand to help her step clear of the increasing pile of clothing that had accumulated on the floor.

She turned to him, a gentle smile on her lips as she watched his eyes trail over her exposed body. The sight of her in nothing but her lacy bra and panties that left almost nothing to the imagination nearly stole his breath away. Collecting himself once more, he brought her back into his arms, his need pressing against her soft belly as he backed her toward the bed. Laying her down, he rounded the bed and lay beside her. He rolled onto his side, partially covering her with his body as his lips met hers once more as his hand slowly traced the side of her breast, down the gentle curve of her waist and over the ridge of her hip and back again. Each excruciatingly slow pass made her shiver as goose pimples dotted her body and she sighed against his mouth.

Jess couldn't help but smile at the soft moan she released when the bad of his thumb grazed her lace covered nipple, he could feel her pressing up into him, begging for him to take it to the next level. With a private smile, he slowed down even further, pressing her back against the mattress before letting his fingers trail the edges of her bra from the tip of her shoulder, to the valley between her breasts, back up the other side to her other shoulder, each touch barely a whisper against her skin making her ache. Soon his mouth joined the slow movement, pausing only briefly to press hot kisses on each breast, drawing it into his mouth as he softly ran his tongue over and around both areolas, his thumb mimicking the action over which ever breast was still exposed at the moment. He loved the soft purr he heard when he dropped a kiss right between her breasts, his rough 5'o'clock shadow scratching against her soft flesh. This was repeated a few times before he reached around and deftly released the hook on her back and slid the fabric from her body, exposing her just a little more to him.

His hand traced each areola, faintly at first, then slowly adding pressure as each consecutive, caress drew closer and closer to the sensitive nub in the center. She gasped as his mouth once again claimed her right breast and then the left, as her flesh met the warmth of his mouth without the lacy barrier. Kissing her mouth once more, his allowed his hands and mouth to trace a soft path down her body, stopping only to restrain her hands when she reached for him. "Huh uh, you first," he husked against her throat as he began his agonizing descent once more.

Jess could tell by subtle lifts of her hips that she was wanting more, he smirked against her belly, pressing soft kissed over and around her belly button as his hands began tracing the top edge of her panties, occasionally slipping just a fraction of an inch underneath, not far enough to reveal anything, but enough to make her sigh for more contact. He could smell her arousal and barely restrained himself from tasting her right then and there. Soon his fingers drifted over her narrow hips and played with her upper thigh, once again occasionally slipping beneath the lace fabric that covered her last bit of flesh. He could feel the warm pulse of her center and grinned when his hand met hot, damp fabric as he teased his fingers over her apex. He met her eyes once more to make sure she was still wanting him to continue before hooking his fingers at her waist and slowly exposing her to him.

Knowing that this was likely going to be the hardest part of the whole endeavor, he slowly let her get used to the feel of his fingers dancing over her fully exposed flesh as he gently teased her open. He slid up to capture her mouth as his fingers gently massaged her, going closer and closer to her center with each pass, soon the tip of one of his fingers reached her entrance. Making the conscious choice to go slow, he eased his fingers past her soft folds, first one than another filling her as he felt her soft as satin closing around him. He didn't release the breath he was holding until he heard her moan and felt her start to relax in his arms. As his fingers continued to caress her from the inside out, he slowly pressed kisses over her soft flesh trekking lower and lower until his lips closed over her sensitive nub. He kissed her and played the tip of his tongue over and around it as his fingers continued their slow dance.

He felt her start to pulse around his fingers as his fingers continues their methodical advance and retreat, the pulses increased, ever tighter until he heard her grunt and sigh as he brought her slowly to her climax before gently sliding his fingers from her satin folds. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was, laying in his arms, her breasts heaving with each breath that passed her soft lips, but what caught his attention was her once pale blue eyes had changed to a stormy blue-grey, the affect was entrancing. "Wow," she sighed, laying her head on his chest, as he pulled her closer into his arms.

"Feel good?" He asked, grinning at her slow nod. They lay in each other's arms a few more moments, enjoying the feel of closeness. He almost didn't notice when her gentle, circular caresses began a slow decent from his chest to the edge of his boxers.

"Your turn," She hummed in his ear as her hand gently caressed him over the soft cotton that was the last barrier between them. He growled deeply as she pressed hot kisses to his jaw and throat as her hand continued its gentle caresses before finally dipping beneath the barrier to fully take him in her hand. He felt her shift slightly as she released him and, hooking her thumbs into his waistband, removed the last of his clothing, he groaned as he felt her soft fingers trail his legs as they guided the fabric past his knees and feet. He chuckled at the quick widening of her eyes as she finally saw all of him. A deep moan rose from his throat as she continued her ministrations until he couldn't take it anymore and flipped her on her back.

"I think that's enough," He smiled, dropping a deep kiss on her lips as he shifted his body over hers, "This is your night; are you ready?" Jess could see the blatant desire in her eyes as he looked at her, a flicker of concern passed before she composed herself and slowly nodded. "I promise to be gentle." He whispered in her ear as he slowly rocked toward her, taking her inch by excruciatingly beautiful inch until he filled her. He paused for a moment to allow her to adjust to him before beginning to rock his hips once more. Their eyes never broke focus from one another, whispered adorations passed their lips as they built up and released wave after wave of bliss.

Later that night as she was dozing in his arms, he pushed back a tendril of hair from her cheek, amazed at how he got so lucky to have this beautiful creature in his arms and swore to himself and every deity he could think of to protect her with his life for as long as she would have him.

Rory awoke as she usually did, with her head on his chest, smiling at the soft snores emanating from her boyfriend's lips. Most people would find the snoring annoying, but she loved it, it made him seem real, and she could use a dose of real from time to time. The only difference was rather than the usual t-shirt and pajama pants or boxers they usually wore to bed, they were both still naked beneath the sheets of their hotel bed. She smiled as she traced the outline of the never before seen tattoos emblazoned on his shoulder and his chest. His shoulder bore the crest of his unit and had a banner over top reading _Sempre Fidelis_ , his chest held a more recent tattoo, one she knew he had gotten not long after they got together, looking back, she could almost pinpoint the exact time he'd gotten it. She remembered him running errands about a month or so after she decided to stay with him, he spent a few days after occasionally scratching at his chest absent-mindedly and occasionally popping some pain relievers.

She traced her fingers over the letters B-O-O-K-T-E-A-S-E were printed in small script over his heart. She gave a passing thought to doing the same only with his nickname, but she knew that he wouldn't want her marring her unblemished skin. Tattoos were fine for her father and Jess, even her mother had her wedding anniversary tattooed on her right hip in the exact same spot her father's matching tattoo sat. Rory shrugged the thought from her head and pressed her lips to the spot her fingers had previously traced before slipping from the bed and into the bathroom to get ready for the day while Jess slept peacefully on.


	38. Bookstores and Bulletts

**August 16, 2008  
Truncheon Books  
1205 hours**

Jess sighed tiredly as he made his rounds through the store. As much as he loved it, he didn't want to be there; he would rather be spending the last few days he had with Rory doing something together instead of working. The Obama campaign had rolled into town the previous afternoon and when it continued on in two days' time, Rory would be going with them.

They had spent all morning in bed by silent agreement to savor every remaining moment they had together. Especially since they didn't know when they would be able to be together again once she left. He knew he was going to miss waking up next to her; ever since Marty and Lucy's wedding, he'd taken to waking up in the middle of the night. As creepy as it may have seemed, in his opinion there was nothing more beautiful than a naked Rory in his bed in the moonlight, an instance that was occurring frequently since they had returned to Philly. He sincerely hoped that one day, preferably soon, he would be able to wake up next to her for the rest of his life. He also knew that it would be several months before either of them would have an idea of what their individual and collective futures held.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he straightened his shoulders and refocused on his rounds. Entering the café, he saw a tall, thin, man sipping coffee and reading a familiar black book. _She really needs to stop promoting that book to everyone she meets,_ he thought to himself while trying to not feel humbled by her faith in him. "Are you enjoying your book, Sir?" He asked the older man.

"Very much so," The man replied with an easy smile; his teeth shone bright white against his dark complexion. "I don't get to read for pleasure very often nowadays so a short novel is just perfect for a relaxing afternoon."

"Huh," Jess shrugged, "We'll I'll leave you to it, then."

"You don't have to leave," The man assured him, "I could use some conversation with someone not on my payroll while I wait for my girls to finish their selections."

"Sure, I've got nothing better to do than wander aimlessly through the stacks," Jess gave in, taking a seat across from the man and signaled to the barista to bring him his usual tea and blueberry muffin. "So where do you stand on Hemmingway?"

Rory wiped yet another tear from her eye as she zipped her last bag closed; she had a small box of clothes that was meant to last her the last few days and would be shipped back to the Hollow before the campaign took off again. She didn't want to go; she'd grown accustomed to sleeping next to him over the past few months. Rory smiled at how he would subconsciously pull her closer in his sleep; she loved how protective of her he was without being controllingly so. She felt safe in his arms, she'd never felt that with Dean or Logan, perhaps a little with Marty, but she had a feeling that had more to do with the fact they were friends before and after than anything else.

Taking a deep, composing, breath, she ducked into the bathroom to splash cold water on her face. Moments later, she was pulling her hair up in its customary ponytail and bounding down the stairs. She was used to the store being a quiet, peaceful, sanctuary, so to say she was surprised to hear a loud, terse conversation as she reached the main floor would be an understatement. It wouldn't be until later that her quick thinking and the immediate response from other staff members would make such an impact on their lives.

Jess had been enjoying the literary debate with the man in the café. Occasionally the man's daughters would interrupt to ask a question before heading back to the new, well-stocked, Youth Fiction section of the store. He didn't mind the interruptions, truth be told the older girl, Malia reminded him a bit of Rory at the same age.

The interruption he did mind was when a middle-aged man, red with temper or drink (perhaps both), he didn't quite know which, came storming in, venting his frustration and anger at the senator with whom Jess had previously been debating the merits of the beats. Jess had, at first, tried to quietly diffuse the situation, but the ranting man would have none of it. The moment the gun was pulled out of the man's coat, Jess was out of his seat, standing between the gunman and the senator.

"Whoa man," Jess looked the nervous man in the eye while he held his hands up in front of his body in a small surrender signal. As he continued to speak with the man, he calmly met the eyes of Chris, who was working the counter and quickly hit the panic button, and Matt, who was still in uniform having just returned from the recruitment center, to catch their attention. "If you have a problem with him or his politics, you can do what every registered voter can do in _November_ and vote for whomever you think is the better candidate. Now I don't know if you've noticed but there's a Marine in _Uniform_ behind you, so I would be really careful about what you choose to do next. Between you and me, you look really stressed, have you ever considered picking up _Golf_? I hear it's really relaxing."

Jess quickly met his partners' eyes, only to be met with their subtle nods indicating they understood his code before all three men began to slowly converge on the armed man.

Behind him he heard the senator's voice quietly reminding him, "My girls," Jess nodded subtly to indicate he heard him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rory toward the back of the room, near where the girls had been shopping, he knew she would make sure they were safe. He breathed a small sigh of relief when she gave her own imperceptible nod indicating just that.

At the same time as she saw the ranting man pull something from under his jacket, she noticed the two girls to her right. "Malia, Sasha," She called softly to them and waved them toward her. Thankfully, she had interacted with the enough when she was first on the campaign trail that they knew she could be trusted. The girls quickly and quietly made their way, hand in hand, to where Rory stood at the base of the stairs. "Go upstairs and lock the door." She instructed them. Malia nodded before taking her younger sister's hand and silently ascending the stairs.

Rory breathed a sigh of relief as she heard Jess' code _November… Uniform… Golf…_ she knew what that meant, having grown up with her father teaching her about backwards coding. Her heart froze in her chest as she watched helplessly as the guys converged on the ranting man. As soon as they were close enough, Jess disarmed the man and dismantled the gun to render it useless, Matt quickly tackled the man and held him down as Chris secured the man's arms with interconnected zip-ties.

A moment later, four police officers and a full complement of men and women in similar suits and earpieces entered the building. The former made quick work of taking the ranting man, who was still spouting off, into custody, the latter group disbursed throughout the building some to interview witnesses. Two men whisked the senator away from the location; one man stood with Jess, Matt, and Chris, debriefing them as to the events that had just transpired as four women approached Rory. Not that she was that hard to find once Jess pointed her out.

"You look familiar," A brunette with a severe bun and piercing green eyes approached her, "Have we met?"

"Yes we have," Rory nodded, "I'm Rory Danes, I was a member of the press corps following Senator Obama's campaign trail in the spring, I was going to be joining back up tomorrow."

The woman gave Rory an inquisitive look, "Are you in any way related to Luke Danes?"

"He's my dad," Rory replied, proudly.

"You have his eyes." The woman gave her a kind smile, "Anna Nardini, I used to work with your father in New Mexico before I transferred to secret service. Judging by your age, I would guess he met your mother shortly thereafter."

"Something like that." Rory shrugged, not caring to correct the agent's assumption.

"Where are Malia and Natasha?" Agent Nardini asked.

"Upstairs, I told them to barricade themselves in the apartment me and the guys share." Rory nodded toward the stairwell, "Follow me up and I'll let you in."

Rory quickly climbed the stairs and unlocked the apartment door. The girls where huddled on the couch, Sasha cuddled in her older sister's arms. Malia's head was back as she dozed against the back of the couch. The stress of the brief event had worn them out.

"While Agents Forrester," Anna nodded to a blonde woman about Rory's age, "And Cameron wake the girls why don't you tell me what happened." She nodded to a redhead who joined the blonde in gently shaking the snoozing girls awake.

"I really don't know much," Rory shrugged, addressing Agent Nardini and the other secret service agent a dark-skinned woman with short, black hair and kind eyes, "All I know is that when I came down I heard loud voices, which is unusual for the bookstore. It was Jess and some guy who was ranting on and on about how Senator Obama wasn't fit to be president, that he was ineligible, you know the usual stuff. Then the guy pulled something from his coat and I heard Jess signal that the man had a gun. He used the backwards radio codes that my dad taught me. I knew I had to get the girls out of there, so I called to them, loud enough for them to hear but not so loud that the gunman would hear me. When they got to me I told them to run up here and lock the door. A few minutes later, Jess, Chris, and Matt had disarmed the gunman and got him into custody. That's when you all came in."

"Thank you Miss Danes," The darker skinned agent nodded before turning to where the other agents stood with the girls, "We should get them back to their hotel."

"Okay, they can keep the books they had when they ran up, on the house." Rory informed them. "We have a friends, family, and distressed children's discount here."

"Thank you, Miss Danes," Malia smiled up at Rory.

"Yeah, thanks," Sasha repeated.

"You're welcome," She smiled down at them, hoping the day's events wouldn't stay with the girls too long, "And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Rory?"

"Come on, ladies, let's go." Agent Nardini headed out the door, the other agents and the girls trailing behind.

Rory flopped down on the couch and breathed out a heavy sigh; at least she couldn't say her life was boring. A few minutes later, Jess came sweeping into the apartment and pulled her into his arms for a tight hug. "Thank God you're alright." He whispered in her ear, dropping kisses on her temple, forehead, nose, lips, neck, every exposed surface he could. It was almost as if by kissing her he was insuring that they were both still alive.

"I could say the same thing about you," Rory kissed him back before swatting him on the shoulder, "Are you crazy?" She demanded, "You could have gotten yourself shot or worse!"

"I know," He admitted, "I acted on instinct, when I saw him draw the gun, I knew I had to do everything I could to keep the senator safe, thank you, by the way for getting the girls to safety."

"No problem," Rory collapsed against his shoulder, "Just for the record though, if you get yourself killed, whether that's fully dead or just mostly dead, I swear on everything that is holy I will bring you back to life and kill you again. You got me?"

"Loud and clear." Jess nodded, kissing her deeply one more time. "But you know just to be safe, we should probably do a little debriefing ourselves, make sure we're alright."

"Captain Mariano; that is probably the worst veiled attempts at seeing me naked I've ever heard." Rory scoffed.

"Sorry," He dropped his head in mock shame, "Is it working?"

"Only so long as we are able to debrief each other," She gave him a coy smile and darted into the bedroom.

"So much work," He playfully groaned following her.

"You know you love it," She called back.

"As you wish." He chuckled, closing the door behind him before their roommates saw too much. He was glad she was here to help him calm down, but he sincerely hoped it would be a cold day in Hell before he had to stand in front of a loaded gun again. Shaking the thought from his head, he lowered his girlfriend to the bed as they whiled away the rest of the day making love like there was no tomorrow.


	39. Endings and New Beginings

**January 3, 2009  
Washington Dulles International Airport  
1439 hours**

The Election was over, and in a little more than two weeks, President-elect Obama would be sworn into office. Since the 'Zine had already made it clear that they wanted Rory to cover the inauguration, they had been sending her out to cover random stories all over the Northeast for the past three months. This day had her standing in the Washington Dulles Airport awaiting the most recent troops to return from deployment. She didn't know much about the troops other than they were Marines from a regiment somewhere in New England. Thinking of Marines made her think of Jess who had taken a last-minute deployment in late September, luckily it was meant to be a short deployment no more than six months, but she still missed hearing his voice every day over the phone, or better yet, in person.

Looking up at the arrivals board, she saw the flight was delayed by an hour from Paris. Looking around she found a small coffee shop not too far from the security exit and ambled over to get a cup before settling into a seat in the waiting area with the rest of the press assembled to be waiting. Pulling her notepad from her messenger bag, she settled in to review the notes that Hugo had emailed her. An hour later, she felt more confident about her assignment than she had when she'd first arrived. She had just put her file away when she caught the motion of the press corps heading toward the swarm of uniformed men and women who were exiting the secured area. She had just taken place when she noticed a familiar trio of dark and sandy haired men.

Not noticing the flashes and clicking of shitters, she leapt directly into the arms of the surprised Marine with the dark hair. "Hey," She whispered, resting her forehead against his, dropping soft kisses on his lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck while her legs encircled his waist.

"Hey," He smiled warmly as he returned her affection, tightening his arms around her lower back to secure her to him. "How did you know I was coming home?"

"I didn't; Hugo sent me at the last minute to cover a regiment returning." Rory shrugged, her forehead resting on his, her hair forming a curtain around them.

"Well, it looks like you two are going to be the story now," Chris chuckled off Jess' left shoulder while Matt smiled at them from the right.

"Thanks for the news flash," Jess rolled his eyes, slowly lowering Rory until her toes touched the ground, rolling down until she rested flat footed on the floor. "We should go get our stuff, Rory can get quotes from us while we wait."

"Works for me," She smiled up at him, her back to the crowd as he wrapped his arm over her shoulder to guide their small group down to baggage claim where the rest of the regiment was waiting. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Jess kissed her head as they walked, "Are you staying in town? After debrief, we're free."

"Yeah," She nodded, "I'm actually staying at the Academy, when Dad heard I was going to be here, he pulled a few strings."

"That was nice of him," Jess smirked, "Do you mind having a roommate for the night? I've about had my fill of these two losers."

"Hey!" Chris protested as Matt just rolled his eyes.

"I don't think they'll protest about one of their most distinguished legacy alumni staying there." Rory smirked, "I'm staying until after the inaugural ball."

"Do you need a date?" Jess asked.

"Or three?" Chris added hopefully.

"Let me think," Rory pretended to give it some thought, "Go stag or be escorted by three handsome Marines, decisions, decisions."

"Don't be a tease," Jess chastised her jokingly.

"I think I could swing a few more tickets." She smiled at the trio who now stood to the side of the baggage claim area.

"I'll call Bridgette and have her ship our blues here." Matt stepped away, dialing the number for the bookstore that had been left in his sister's care while they were gone.

"Do you think we should tell him that the ball isn't for another couple weeks?" Rory whispered.

"Nah," Jess shook his head, "It'll give her time to get the uniforms to us. Besides some business to take care of here that might take us a little bit, so we already got a condo on lease in Arlington. How long are you staying at the Academy?"

"Another few weeks; Hugo has me covering the events around here leading up to the big ceremony on the 20th," She explained as her phone began to ring. Shooting a glare to her boyfriend who chuckled at her as she dug in her large bag to retrieve the bejeweled device. "It's Mom."

Jess nodded as she stepped a few yards away to a quiet alcove, not that he could ever keep his eyes off her. Lorelai calling Rory was not an odd occurrence, but something was nagging at him to not let her out of his sight. His suspicions were proved right when he saw Rory's head droop as she leaned against a wall, in 10 swift steps, he caught her as she was about collapse.

Matt spared them a quick glance before returning their focus to the baggage carousel which was slowly unloading several standard issue bags. Making sure to grab Jess' bags along with theirs.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Jess whispered in his girlfriend's ear as he held her tremoring form.

"Mom said that Grandpa…" Was all she could get out before being wracked with sobs once more.

"Did he have another heart attack?" He asked gently, answered only by Rory's slight nod, "Is he going to be okay?" Rory shook her head and whimpered.

"You need to go home," It was more of a statement than a question as he pulled her tighter to his chest. He knew that he wasn't going to get more out of her. Furthermore, he knew that if Richard Gilmore had not already passed on, he would soon do so. Looking up, he saw Matt and Chris loaded down with baggage like a couple of overgrown pack horses who simply nodded that everything was accounted for. "Did you drive?" Rory nodded.

Jess sighed as he quickly led Rory and their friends from the terminal to the large bus that had been sent to collect the arriving troops and shuttle them to the base for their debrief. After helping Chris and Matt load their bags on the bus, he handed Rory over to them while he quickly addressed his C.O. who stood near the door, clipboard in hand. "Sir," he executed a sharp salute that was promptly returned.

"Mariano, you seem to have collected a spare there," The older man whose grey hair showed beneath his cover gave the only indication to his age.

"Yes sir," Jess nodded, "I am requesting permission for leave, starting immediately."

"You just arrived here," The senior officer countered, "You have to go through debrief."

"I understand, sir," Jess nodded, "However, we were just informed of a family emergency. The girl over there is my uncle's step-daughter, and my girlfriend, long story. Her grandfather suffered a massive heart attack a few hours ago and will die soon if he hasn't already. She is in no shape to drive back to Connecticut."

"Very well," The C.O. nodded shortly, "I expect a full report in my inbox by tomorrow at 2200."

"Yes, sir." Jess saluted before turning on his heel and returning to his group. "You guys go ahead; Davis is releasing me for the time being. I'm taking Rory back to the Hollow."

"Alright," Chris nodded, giving Rory a sympathetic smile.

"You two be safe," Matt gave Rory a gentle hug before passing her off to her boyfriend. "I'm sorry the day went from good to crap-tastic."

"Thanks, Matty," Rory murmured, giving him a sad smile. After Jess shook his friend's hands, he collected his bags and steadied them on one arm before wrapping his free arm around his girlfriend and guiding her toward the parking garage where she told him her new silver Forte was parked and waiting for her.

A few moments later, they had the car loaded up, "Keys?" Jess requested, his hand held out as she placed them in his palm. After assisting her into the passenger seat, he rounded the car and took his place behind the wheel. Soon they were reaching the exit gates, seeing his uniform the lot attendant lifted the crossbar and waved them through.

"Maybe I should take you with me everywhere from now on if I get free parking out of it," Rory said lightly, but Jess knew she was trying to not think about the situation awaiting them when they arrived home.

They drove for a few hours, Rory couldn't tell if it had been three or four, but next thing she knew, they were pulling into a motel off the side of the I-95. "I've been traveling all day, I'm exhausted and you are in no state to drive." Jess explained at her puzzled look. Rory simply nodded her understanding and followed him into the lobby.

Thankfully the check-in process was swift and they were soon entering their room for the night. Diving into his old ruck sack, Jess pulled a clean shirt and a pair of boxers out and tossed them to Rory. "Those might be more comfortable than your suit to sleep in," He nodded to the tailored grey suit and satin green blouse she wore beneath the dark wool trench coat she'd just hung over the back of the desk chair beside her.

"Thanks," Rory nodded, catching the offered items.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Jess informed her as he headed toward the small room, "I'm tired of smelling like an airport."

Rory stopped him with a gentle hand on his forearm as he passed by, "Thanks," She gave him a soft smile.

"No problem," He assured her before ducking through the door and turning on the shower. He sighed as he stripped of his fatigues and stepped in to the warm stream, reveling in the feel after months of gritty sand and often-too-short-to-be-effective showers. Turning the water off and wrapping a towel around his waist, he grabbed his clothes and headed back to the main room where he found Rory already asleep on the bed.

A sad smile played on his lips as he viewed her, dressed in nothing but one of his Marine t-shirts which dwarfed her slim frame, laying on top of the comforter, either too tired or too upset to bother pulling back the sheets before drifting off into a fitful sleep. Jess sighed, his heart breaking along with hers. He didn't remember his grandparents but Richard had always treated him well, even sent him care packages while he was on deployment, usually some first edition from his private collection or an obscure piece of literature he happened across on one of his business trips. Jess shook the thoughts from his head as he pulled on the boxers that Rory had left on the foot of the bed. He walked quietly to the side of the bed where Rory lay and as carefully as he could, pulled the blanket and sheets out from under her and covered her without waking her before climbing in beside her and pulling her to his chest.

"Mmm" Rory sighed as she shifted to lay her head on his chest, taking comfort in the steady rhythm of his heart. "Love you, Dodger," She murmured.

"I love you too, Booktease," He kissed her nose before turning out the light and allowing them to drift into a somewhat less than peaceful slumber.

 **September 4, 2009  
Hartford Memorial Hospital  
0845 hours**

"Mommy!" Lorelai looked up, startled to see her eldest daughter running toward her.

"Rory!" She sighed, holding her arms out to embrace her.

"Where's Grandma?" She asked looked up at her mother hopefully.

"She's in with your grandfather," Lorelai gave her a pained look, "They said that the heart attack caused irreparable damage. The doctors are encouraging us to say goodbye. He's been getting weaker, they didn't expect him to last the night, I think he's been waiting for you to get here."

"Oh," The young woman's eyes started to mist up, making her look so much like the five-year-old girl who had pulled the grumpy diner owner out of his shell with a dead caterpillar and a matchbox coffin.

"Are you going to be okay?" Jess asked softly, stepping up behind her, placing his hand on the small of her back.

"Could you?" Rory's eyes shot toward the double doors which lead to the cardiac intensive care ward where her grandfather was spending his last moments. Jess nodded his understanding, his fingers gently pressing into her back for a moment confirming his promise to go with her.

"Hi Jess," Lorelai suddenly realizing who was standing with her daughter. "I thought you were still deployed… not that we don't love that you're here, but why are you here?"

"Deployment ended early," Jess shrugged, "Rory was covering the return of our unit, and I happened to be with her when you called. I didn't want her driving back alone so I made her let me drive."

"Thanks Jess," Came the rough voice of his uncle who had just returned with three trays of strong coffee for the Danes Dames and the Senior Gilmore Girl along with some tea for himself. "If I'd known you were coming, I'd have…"

"Not necessary," Jess shook his head, "We had an early start so I've had enough coffee to last me a life time, or an hours of Danes time."

A moment later a nurse entered the waiting area, "Is there a Rory Danes here?" She asked.

"That would be her," Jess responded, nodding toward the girl who had been going through lapses in speech since the moment she received the phone call.

"Your grandfather is asking for you," The woman gave her a sympathetic smile, "I think he wants to say goodbye."

Rory's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as her lower lip trembled. Looking back at her parents who assured her that they'd already had their moments with him and were going to wait for Rory to come back before heading home. With one last heavy sigh, Rory followed the woman toward the double doors, her Marine shadow following a half step behind.

"I'm sorry, family only." The nurse sent him a sympathetic look.

"He is family," Came a weary but stern voice from down the hall.

The nurse simply nodded and allowed him through the doors before leading them to where the formidable Emily Gilmore stood, the slight sorrowful chink in her armor only visible to those who knew her. "Hi Grandma," Rory spoke softly as she welcomed a rare embrace from her grandmother.

"Hello Rory," The older woman's guard fell for a slight moment before turning to the young man who waited patiently a few steps from the door. "Jess, thank you for coming, I know Richard will appreciate it."

"Nothing could have kept me away," He assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder to convey his sympathy for the situation she was in. The only acknowledgement of the gesture he received was a quick pat on the back of his hand before the older woman turned and led them into the room.

"Richard you have a couple visitors." She spoke softly, squeezing her husband's hand. It felt so frail to her, nothing like the strong image she was struggling to hold on to as she watched his last minutes pass by. "I'll give you the room," She nodded resolutely before exiting.

Rory reached behind her to take Jess' hand, borrowing his strength. "Hi Grandpa," She took his hand in her free hand.

"Rory, my girl," Richard gave her a warm smile which did nothing to hide the battle he was swiftly losing. "And Jess, our warrior scholar." He added just as proudly.

"Hello, Sir," Jess nodded before giving Rory's hand a squeeze, a movement that was not missed by the older man.

"Well this is new, although I must admit not entirely unexpected," Richard chuckled weakly nodding toward the conjoined hands of his granddaughter and her suitor. "I must say I do approve."

"Thank you, Sir." Jess nodded.

"You will take care of her?" Richard asked, "Protect her?"

"With my life." The younger man confirmed.

"Good," Richard nodded resolutely before turning to his granddaughter, "And you love him?"

"With all my heart," Rory gave Jess a smile.

"Don't ever lose that." Richard gave them a small smile, "Your grandmother and I always had that. Promise me, no matter how much you quarrel, you will never be as stupid as we were. Hold on to that love and even through the hard times and never run away from one another."

The young couple nodded silently. Richard could tell his time was drawing near and pulled his granddaughter closer to him, "I know I never said this enough, I love you, and I am so proud of the woman you have become."

"I love you too Grandpa," Rory couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheeks as she removed her hand briefly from Jess' hand so that she could accept her grandfather's embrace. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek as she stood and rejoined Jess at the side of the bed.

"I'm proud of you, as well, son." Richard added before turning to Rory, "Rory would you please fetch your mother and grandmother?"

Rory nodded as she and Jess headed toward the door. "Jess, if I could have a moment of your time?" After giving Rory a consoling squeeze of the hand and soft kiss to her cheek, he returned to the older man's bedside.

"Yes sir?" He asked, unsure as to what more the Gilmore patriarch had to say.

"I can see it in your eyes," Richard gave him a wistful smile, "I used to have the same look as a young man. I by no means mean to rush you, and while I know you will likely also address this with her father, I want you to know that whenever the time may be, you have my full blessing."

"Thank you, Sir," Jess nodded as the women returned followed closely by Luke. On silent feet, he moved to stand behind Rory, her hand softly enfolded in his as Luke pulled Lorelai to his side to await Richard's departure.

"How did I get so lucky to have such beautiful women to bid be safe journey." Richard smiled warmly at all of them. "Rory, you have a great future ahead of you. Remember while dreams may change, and adapt to ever developing events, there I no dream too small or unimportant to pursue. Lorelai, my beautiful little girl, I know I wasn't always the best father to you. I know we made our amends years ago, but I feel compelled to repeat it. Your tenacity, bravery, and clarity of focus inspire and leave me in awe of you. No man could ask for a better daughter."

The younger women silently wiped tears from the cheeks as they listened to Richard say his last farewells, both holding tightly to the men who stood silent sentinel beside them. Richard turned his head and held out his hand to his bride, indicating with a slight tug that he wished her to sit beside him.

"Oh Emily, there are so many words to describe what you mean to me, but not near enough time to convey their full meaning. All the words of scholars, poets, and play-writes could not come close to expressing the love I feel for you." He smiled softly up at her, "I loved you from the first moment I saw you in that emerald dress, holding court at that party. You caught me in a trance and never let me go, for that I will be eternally grateful. I love you with all my being, as simple as that may sound."

"I love you too Richard, I always will." Emily voice quivered as she spoke.

"My beautiful Emmy," Richard, caressed his wife's cheek, pulling her down for one last kiss. Emily laid her head on his chest as the room fell silent, the only sound was the slowing beep of the heart monitor. Each Gilmore Girl and Danes Dame held tightly to their men as the soft pulse of the monitor slowed to a prolonged whine.

The younger women could have sworn they heard a soft whimper escape the elder woman's lips as she heard her husband take his last breath, but neither would ever confirm it. By the time the medical team entered to confirm time of death, Emily had quickly collected herself to present herself as the proper widow who only cried in private.

"Come on, Mom," Lorelai, held her hand to her mother, "Let's get you home, we've all had a long couple of days, I think some rest would do us all some good."

Emily only nodded her consent and followed her daughter and granddaughter from the room leaving the staff to handle her husband's explicitly written final wishes. She sent a silent 'thank you' to her husband, he knew exactly how he wished to be dispatched. The only thing she would have to worry about is securing the church and informing friends, family, and clients of Richard's passing. The fool man had even written his own obituary. In a few moment's time, Emily discovered that they'd reached the parking lot. As Luke helped her into the SUV, her eyes caught sight of a young couple leaning against a car on the far side of the lot, the twilight obscuring their identities. The man held the young woman in his arms, his hands tracing soothing circles on her back and arms.

He must have said something to lift her spirits a bit, because the young woman lifted her face to his, a small smile playing on her lips before pressing a soft kiss to his lips and nodding gently at his words. The sight made her breath hitch, remembering years gone by when it was her and Richard canoodling by is brand new Cadillac at the end of the night. She wished she could go back to days of olde and relive them, but she knew that live moved forward and so must she. With a deep sigh, she settled back in her seat for the drive back to her empty home, now devoid of her husband's large presence that filled it so well.

Rory and Jess had exited the hospital while the older members of their family finished up their business with the staff and the coroner. They didn't feel like going anywhere yet and so stood, wrapped in each other's arms leaned up against the side of the sedan, sharing soft words.

"I'm going to miss him," Rory sighed.

"I know," Jess nodded, his hand gently running up and down her arms, "I will too. You know back there when he was asking all those questions, it almost sounded as if he was leading us through our wedding vows."

Rory smile softly at the thought, it wasn't like she hadn't entertained the idea before, although she had never admitted it to Jess, "Yeah it did."

"It was nice," Jess smiled down at her, "Maybe we could do it for real sometime."

"Are you proposing?" She challenged with a coy smile.

"No," Jess chuckled, "Believe me, if I were, you would know without a doubt. I'm just saying that I can see us doing that again, for real, someday."

"Someday in the near future?" Rory blushed.

"Perhaps," Jess whispered softly, dipping his head toward her. "Do you think that might be something you would be amenable to?"

"I think it's a very real possibility," She nodded, "But you do know we'd have to tell Mom and Dad."

"If they don't figure it out on their own this week, I'd be surprised," Jess nodded, "Should we head back to the house?"

"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea," Rory chuckled as Jess opened the door for her, "I would love to get out of these clothes."

"Need any help?" He whispered low in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

"Perhaps, do you think Matt would be willing." She teased, an impish smirk playing on her lips as Jess growled low in his throat.

"Evil, evil woman. You're lucky I love you." He teased back.

"Like you have a choice." She grinned.

"What is it about you Danes Dames that drives us men to distraction?" He asked.

"It's a gift." With one last kiss, Jess rounded the car and got in. Quickly putting the car in gear, he guided the car out of the lot and toward the Hollow where the rest of the family were waiting for them.


	40. Wakes and What Did We Just Walk In On?

**January 8, 2009  
Cedar Hill Cemetery  
1115 hours**

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…" The pastor's warm voice flowed over them. Rory knew she should be paying attention to what was being said as they stood around the entrance to the family mausoleum where her grandfather had been interred, but her reporters eye couldn't help take in all the details around her. A chill ran down her back as a rain drop had somehow gotten past the portable tent that had been set up for the service and was now tracing a solitary line down her neck and along her spine, she felt it was apropos that it would be dreary and raining on the day they said good bye to such a man as Richard Gilmore.

Her eyes drifted to her Dad, standing firm behind the short row of chairs to the side of the family crypt, trying to be strong for his wife and children while trying to battle the memories of his own father's service. His hand resting on his son's shoulder while his youngest daughter sat stoically beside her older brother. Luke's other hand was held fast by his grieving wife. Rory could tell it was killing her mother to have to stand still and keep the well-trained Gilmore composure when all she wanted to do is collapse in her husband's arms and grieve the way she so strongly desired to. Instead the only indication of the turmoil rolling with in her was a spare tear that found its way past her dark glasses and left a solemn trail down her cheek.

Emily, clad in a conservative black dress, nylons, and heels was still, no emotion able to be perceived beneath the black lace of the veil she wore over her formal pill hat, sat diagonally from the pastor's right hand. Her sister, Hope, who had flown in on a red eye that morning from France sat on her other side, holding her hand. A person would think that Emily felt no emotion over the passing of her husband until they looked at her hand shaking and white knuckled as her younger sister stroked and patted her hand attempting to keep her as calm as possible.

Rory and Jess stood opposite the rest of them, surrounded by her grandfather's colleagues and clients. She remembered meeting many of them when she was in high school on the occasional golfing outings she joined her grandfather on. The memories of the times spent with her grandfather began to wash over her, overwhelming her as she laid her head-on Jess' shoulder trying to hold herself together like her mother and grandmother were doing. She felt Jess release her hand and wrap his arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer as the pastor asked them to bow their heads in prayer.

"Father God, into your hands we send the spirit of your servant Richard Thaddeus Gilmore, may he be welcomed into your loving embrace. Please send peace and comfort to his family and friends who while grieving his loss, rejoice in the knowledge he has been called home to life eternal. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, amen." The pastor concluded the service, conveying the information that a wake was to be held immediately following at the Gilmore residence.

 **Gilmore Mansion  
1945 hours**

The last of the guests had given their final condolences and headed for their homes and temporary places of lodging for the night. Almost as if a switch had been flipped by the closing of the door behind the last well-wisher, Emily Gilmore, the stoic, raining, matriarch of the Gilmore Clan fell apart. No one was quite sure what to do as she collapsed on the settee shaking and repeating, "He's really gone; he promised I could go first." At first her voice was soft, bemused but slowly grew in strength and volume until she was screaming and throwing decorative cushions across the room.

Lorelai, who had just returned from tucking the younger Danes children into bed in the pool house, looked as if she was battling with whether to go to her mother or just let her be. With a slight nod from her husband, she took the last pillow from her mother and handed it to the maid who had come in to see what all the commotion could be before pulling her mother down next to her on the small sofa and holding her until they were both cried out to the point of exhaustion. The day had gotten to Emily, evidenced by the fact that she was now asleep in her daughter's arms.

Rory watched as her father slowly walked towards the two women before indicating to his wife his plans. Lorelai slowly shifted her weight out from under her mother and watched as her husband lifted the older women lovingly into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Lorelai was close on his heels so that she could get her mother changed and into bed.

Rory and Jess slowly made their way into the dark paneled office where her grandfather had spent most of his adult life. Jess stood back as she slowly walked the circumference of the room, slowly tracing her fingers along the spines of books on the shelf, playing her hands along artefacts scattered about, and caressing the large office chair that sat behind the mahogany desk as she memorized the scent of leather, fine cigars, and well-aged scotch, a scent she'd always associate with her grandfather. "I can't believe he's gone, Jess." She broke the silence, "Did you know he gave me my first book? My first newspaper, too."

Jess didn't know what to say, so he just nodded and watched his girlfriend slowly circle back to him. She pushed him gently back into one of the matching high back chairs that sat beside the grand fireplace along the south wall of the office and sat sideways across his lap, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart, allowing each thump to bring her closer to Earth, grounding her once more. They always had this effect on each other, with a simple touch, an embrace, a sigh between them, there was no better way to describe it but that it was home for them. They were each other's touch stone.

Rory snuggled closer into Jess while her fingers traced the buttons of the dark red shirt he wore beneath his suit as she inhaled his scent sending shivers down his spine as her breath tickled his neck. He slowly traced her back through the tailored black and grey dress she wore, it was conservative, but somehow she made it look youthful rather than matronly. His other hand slowly traced it's way up her arm, sending goose bumps along her flesh until his hand crested her shoulder to her cheek as he lifted her lips to meet his with a soft kiss.

"Promise you'll never leave me," She sighed against his lips.

"You know I can't promise that, but I can promise you that I will always love you, no matter how far apart we are." He assured her.

"Okay," She nodded, claiming his lips once more, "I love you. So much."

"Oh Rory, there are no words to describe the depth of my love for you," His eyes met hers, the intensity thrilled and scared her in equal parts.

"You stole that from Grandpa." She gave him a small smile.

"Smart man, your grandfather." His voice held a note of reverence as he entwined his fingers in her hair, drawing her closer placing soft kisses along her jaw and soft lips, loving the taste of strawberry lip gloss that had not yet been kissed from her lips.

"Well, he did give you his blessing," She smiled back.

"How did you know?"

"He wouldn't have been asking all those questions if he had no intention of doing so." Rory explained, "He asked similar questions of Dad when we came so he could ask for Mom's hand. He wasn't the only smart one in the family." She grinned smugly.

"All that elitist education, huh?" Jess joked.

"Or genetics," Rory smirked, "Mom was Yale bound until she got pregnant with me. She had a 4.6 GPA at the end of her Junior year, despite missing classes due to morning sickness and doctor's appointments."

"Impressive." Jess nodded, "Now would you kindly shut up? You're talking through some of my best work here." He teased.

Rory just nodded, letting him pull her closer and losing herself in him. They were so wrapped up in each other that neither heard Luke and Lorelai's approach.

"Have you seen Rory and Jess?" Luke asked as his wife descended the stairs. "Did they go up yet?"

"No, at least I don't think so, both Rory's room and the spare room still have the doors open and the lights out." Lorelai shook her head.

"Where could they have gotten off to?" Luke mused aloud from his seat on the settee he and his wife usually claimed during family gatherings, a double rocks glass of scotch swirling in his hand. He'd slowly become accustomed to the strong liquor that Richard favored and it seemed appropriate to have a drink in the man's honor.

Lorelai's gaze drifted around before landing on the large dark wood door that lead the way to her father's old office. "Wasn't that door open earlier? Maybe they went in to say goodbye, or place dibs on his first editions."

"Couldn't hurt to look," Luke swallowed the last of the dark liquid and followed his wife toward the door. "I didn't even think about looking in there."

Not wanting to startle them if they were in their book zone, Lorelai gently knocked on the sturdy door, "Jess? Rory? Sweets are you in there?" Receiving no response, she turned back to her husband and shrugged before gently turning the knob and allowing the door to swing silently open before her. The room was dimly lit, she could still feel her father's presence in here, looking around she almost didn't notice the whispers until she spotted a pair of black nylon covered legs crossed demurely the knee and fancy black heels that were laying on the ground below the stocking-clad feet.

Rounding the chairs, she didn't know what to expect, but the sight of her daughter engaged in intimate conversation and making out with a man who was, for all intents and purposes, her cousin. "What is going on in here?" She demanded, not sure if she should be upset or amused.

"Lorelai…" Jess looked up as Rory turned toward the sound of her mother's voice.

"Mom, we can explain," She spoke up.

"Oh, there is going to be a lot of explaining," Came the gruff voice of her father who stood on their other side, arms crossed menacingly, ice blue eye staring daggers at his nephew. "Living room, now."

The younger couple silent nodded as Luke executed a sharp turn and walked back to the sitting room, his wife close behind. Jess helped Rory up and stood to straighten his suit and tie while she smoothed the wrinkles from her dress and slid back to her heels. "You ready?" He asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," She sighed, taking his hand.

"It's not exactly how I expected to be breaking the news to the parentals," He kissed the back of her hand, "But I'm almost relieved that they found out."

"Me too," She chuckled. The shared a quick kiss and before both taking a deep breath and heading into the living room. Luke and Lorelai were in their usual seats, so Rory and Jess sat across from them. After a few minutes of silence, Luke finally spoke.

"How long?"

"April," Jess stated matter-of-factly, "In Philly, before…"

Luke nodded, understanding the incident to which Jess was referring. "I had a free day and stumbled in to Truncheon the day before the meet the candidate dinner," Rory explained, "I like finding bookshops and books when I have a free day and wound up reading Jess' book. He drove me back to my hotel on his way out to the recruiting station, as you know. The next night I was surprised to find out that Jess, Chris, and Matt along with other local military members had been invited to the dinner. Logan was also there, Jess intervened and helped to keep him away from me after Logan refused to let me go after dancing."

"I knew he was up to no good," Jess sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "He kept hounding her, I'm equal parts proud and embarrassed to admit I wound up laying him out on the sidewalk later that night for persisting to be an ass. I drove her back the hotel after that."

"The next day, he picked me up for our first date, a little diner on the outskirts of town that Matt's family owns," Roy picked up the story, "We talked about everything and decided we wanted to be more than just friends, that we had feelings for each other. He eventually took me back to the hotel where I loaded up to continue on the campaign trail. Well you know what happened next."

The older couple nodded their heads, "Is that why you were so keen to stay with him after?" Lorelai asked.

"Partly," Rory sighed, "But also because I felt safe with him, I knew he wouldn't let anything happen to me. Nor would Chris or Matt, and as you know eventually Paris, then Collin and Finn joined the 'protect Rory' team."

"As time went on, our feelings grew." Jess continued, "If we're being honest, it was a long time building, between the interviews for her article to the letters we exchanged over the years, we'd set the foundation for our relationship. Living in the same apartment until she went back to work brought us even closer."

"Do I even want to know?" Came Luke's rhetorical question, which was, thankfully, ignored.

"We know it's a bit odd at first glance," Rory added, "But we're not technically related, at least by blood. If you two weren't married, and he was just the nephew of the diner guy, would it really matter."

"No, but you got to admit you definitely have your hill in front of you." Lorelai sighed. "I guess the important question is, are you happy?" The younger shared a look before matching grins split their faces and they nodded the affirmative. "Then we're happy for you. Aren't we Hun?" She gave a meaningful look to her husband.

"You hurt her, I will kill you." Luke gave Jess a stern look, "You know I have the training to do it."

"Yes sir," Jess nodded, "So are we all okay here? It's been a long day, we're all tired."

"We're done," Lorelai nodded before standing and wrapping first he daughter then Jess into her arms. "Goodnight."

Jess waited while Rory kissed her father's cheek before reclaiming his hand as they ascended the stairs.

"Separate rooms," Luke called to them.

"Luke, really." Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Do you really think they slept separately while she was in Philly."

"I'd rather maintain my delusions," Luke huffed.

"Of course you would." Lorelai chuckled, pulling him towards the patio doors that led to the pool house where their younger two children slept. "Come on Papa Bear, leave the kissing cousins alone and let's go to bed." He groaned as she pushed him through the door before she turning back toward the younger couple, and impish grin on her face "Don't have too much fun."

Rory blushed and Jess chuckled awkwardly at the implication before heading up the stairs and into Rory's room where they'd already stashed both their bags for the night. Neither was interested in doing much more than sleeping with Emily just down the hall from them, regardless of Lorelai's teasing. They quickly got ready for bed, Jess unzipping her dress while she changed into his old Marine Academy t-shirt and he stripped down to his boxers and slid under the covers. She ducked into the bathroom to remove her make-up and pull her hair back before joining him placing a quick peck on his lips as she wrapped her arm over his stomach. He pulled her closer until her head rested comfortably on his chest, with a quick kiss to her head and an exchange of 'I love you's they both drifted off into a peaceful sleep, glad that they no longer had to keep their relationship a secret from the family.

 **January 9, 2009  
Gilmore Sitting Room  
0945 hours**

Emily sat in the silence of her sitting room, a silver coffee service on the table in front of her and a large stack of newspapers on the settee beside her. Most of them were national and financial prints addressed to her husband that she hadn't had the heart to cancel yet. She'd made it through the Lifestyle section of the previous weeks Sunday Times and was about to pick up the large Local and National News section when the French doors leading to the pool house burst open and her youngest grandchildren ran in closely followed by their parents.

"Grandma!" Mimi cried out, a big grin on her face, "You have to see the bed Mommy put me in last night, it's GINORMOUS!"

"That was your sister's bed back when she lived with your grandfather and I a few years ago." Emily informed her, a small smile on her lips at the girl's enthusiasm, but it couldn't hide the sorrow that still was in her eyes.

"Grandma, why are you so sad?" The little girl asked, climbing up into the woman's lap and giving her a hug.

"I miss your Grandpa," She kissed the little girl's head, "I'm happy he's in Heaven, but I still miss him. Just like you miss your sister when she's away."

"I miss Rory a lot when she's working," Billy nodded, "It's not fair that she has to go so far away. Jess too, the Marines send him all over the world. It's just not fair, family is supposed to stay together."

"Life is seldom fair," Emily shook her head sadly, "That's why we must cherish the moments we have together."

"Grandma?" Mimi tipped her head to the side thoughtfully, "What's 'cherry-ish' mean?"

"Cherish, my dear," Emily patiently corrected, not seeing the soft smile on her daughter's lips as she and Luke watched her interact with her grandchildren, "It means taking the time to make good memories so that when you look back you can remember how happy you were and how blessed you are."

"I cherish you and Grandpa," Mimi said with a perfunctory nod.

"I cherish you too," Emily hugged the little girl, dropping a kiss on her head before holding her hand out to her grandson, "You too, my little prince."

Lorelai let the three of them stay that way for a few moments before clearing her throat. "Okay I know two kiddos who need to eat breakfast toot sweet."

"Marguerite left some pastries and cut fruit on the side bar for you." Emily informed them, leaning forward to place her granddaughter back on the ground and take a sip of her coffee. "Lorelai, would you care for a cup? I know it's not Luke's quality, but it is a rather aromatic blend."

"I would love a cup, Mom," Lorelai smiled softly as she poured some of the dark elixir into her own cup. "Mmm, this is good. But she's right, it doesn't hold a candle to your mix, Babe." She beamed at her husband who just rolled his eyes and guided the kids into the dining room after bidding a good morning to his mother-in-law.

Lorelai sat back and read the Lifestyle section her mother had just discarded, a habit, along with her coffee addiction that she had inherited from her mother, which she would adamantly deny if it were ever to be pointed out. She was reading over the most recent styles of home décor and making mental notes for the inn while she sipped her coffee when a small sniffle broke into her consciousness.

Looking up, she saw her mother, two pages into the National News section of the times, tears running down her cheeks, "Are you okay?" Lorelai asked, crossing to her mom to see what may have caused her to react in such a way. "Oh, Mom," She sighed looking over her mother's shoulder at the article about a troop recently returned from overseas.

"I miss that," Emily wiped the stray tears from her eyes, "I miss that joy of being brought together after being apart for so long." She ran her hand over the picture of a soldier reuniting with his girl. The girl's arms and legs were wrapped around the young man's waist and neck, her hair cascading over her cheek as she pressed her forehead to her man's, blocking off enough of their features to hide their identities but it was easy to see the love and joy radiating off them as they were reunited. "Thank God Richard never had to go to war, although he was drafted once." She smiled softly at the surprised look on her daughter's face, "They reversed it when they found out he was an only child and the only heir to his family. That's not to say I wouldn't have been infinitely proud of him for serving his country like Luke and Jess have and do. I suppose I'm just being a silly old woman, crying over little things."

"No Mom, you're allowed to be sad," Lorelai draped her arm around her mother's shoulders, "We all miss him, it's not silly at all." She looked at the picture once more and couldn't conceal her laughter at what it depicted.

"Rory, I think your mom has finally lost it," Jess' voice came from the first landing as he and Rory came down the steps, "She's cracked, laughing at nothing."

"Oh no, it's not nothing," Lorelai chuckled, shaking her head to the bemusement of her mother, daughter, and nephew as she waved the younger couple over, "Come see for yourselves."

"What?" Rory asked as she poured a cup of coffee from the serviette and walked behind where her mother and grandmother sat to look at the offered page. "Oh wow," She blushed, "Um Jess, I think you should see this."

Jess silently nodded and joined the women in looking at the picture, "Huh, well how about that?"

"I feel I'm missing something here," Emily looked at her younger family members.

"You haven't told her yet?" Lorelai questioned the young couple.

"You only just found out last night." Rory reminded her.

"What haven't you told me?" Emily was starting to get frustrated at the veiled comments flying around her.

"Mom, look really closely," Lorelai spoke as she pointed to different areas of the picture, "Do you recognize that bag, or the uniforms, or even the clothes?"

Emily looked closer as the features became clearer in her mind, she could feel recognition stirring in her sub-consciousness. Finally, the cobwebs began to clear, "The girl's bag does look familiar to me very similar to the one Richard and I gave Rory when she left for the campaign trail."

"Keep going, Mom," Lorelai encouraged.

Emily looked at the paper a moment longer and gasped, "They're wearing the exact same clothes that Rory and Jess… Rory, didn't you say you ran into Jess at the airport the day of your grandfather's heart attack?"

"Flying leap was more like it," Jess chuckled.

"Hush you," Rory chided.

"Do you mean to say, that these two young people are the two of you?" Emily asked, amazement and puzzlement clear in her voice.

"Yes Grandma," Rory took Jess' hand in hers, "Jess and I have been seeing each other since last April."

"But you're cousins." The older women pointed out needlessly.

"Not really, not even close to the way that Grams and great-granddad were," Lorelai shrugged. "They're not even blood related, their simply cousins of circumstance. The circumstance being the fact that his uncle is married to me."

Emily sat quietly letting the news sink in, "Do you love each other?"

"Very much," Rory confirmed, rounding the couch and crouching down to meet her grandmother's eyes.

"Then I guess congratulations are in order." Emily smiled warmly at the young woman before her, "You treat her well, young man."

"Yes ma'am." Jess nodded.

"I think that concludes the telling of the family secret." Lorelai sighed.

"Are we sharing secrets?" Mimi burst back into the living area, "'Cause I got one, I think Davey Bellville is cute!"

"You can't like Davey," Billy protested, "He's my best friend, find someone else to like."

"Hush you," Mimi stopped in, in perfect mimic of her older sister and mother, "I wanna hear Mommy's secret."

"It's not Mommy's secret." Lorelai shook her head before giving Rory and Jess a meaningful look.

"You may not understand this," Rory started, "But you know the story I told you about the New King not meeting his wife and daughter until his daughter was older?"

"Yeah," Mimi nodded, Billy just stared ahead, his face set like his father's waiting for the real information to be given.

"Well that is because the Rogue Prince was the princess' daddy first." Rory explained, "You see, I had another Daddy before I met Dad. So, I'm not connected to Jess the way that you are."

"What do you mean?" Billy looked up, brow furrowed.

"I mean he's not my cousin, like he is yours." Rory explained, "Because of that, it's okay for me to love him the way that Mommy loves Daddy and for him to love me like Daddy loves Mommy."

"So you're gonna be like Gram and Great Granddad?" Billy asked, he'd heard whispers from other people the night before about his grandfather's parents being second cousins.

"Kind of," Rory shrugged, "Are you okay with that?"

"Yeah," Mimi grinned, "I like Jess."

"Me too." Billy nodded, "Okay, I guess you can be his girlfriend."

"Well thank you for your permission," Rory chuckled.

"If you make Rory cry, I'm gonna hurt you." Billy warned his older cousin.

"Why does everyone assume I'm gonna make her cry?" Jess asked incredulously.

"We just like her better than you." Luke's voice came from the entry way.

"Oh, well in that case…" Jess rolled his eyes.

"Kids, we gotta load up," Luke reminded them, "I have a diner to run."

The Danes children simply nodded and hugged their grandmother, sister, and cousin goodbye before following their father out the door. Lorelai gave her mother one more hug before embracing her daughter and Jess and following her family out the door.

"I suppose you're going to leave me too?" Emily asked, pushing up from the sofa as Jess ran upstairs to get his and Rory's bags from the bedroom.

"We have to, Grandma, I have to prep for the inaugural ball, and Jess is due back on base tonight." Rory shrugged before pulling her grandmother into a swift hug, an action the older woman was slowly getting used to. "We'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too," Emily sighed.

"Ready to go?" Jess asked.

"Yeah, let's get going."

Emily followed them to the door before placing a hand on Jess' shoulder, "Take care of her."

"I will." He smiled one of his rare smiles at her before guiding his girlfriend out the door and to the car.

Emily watched as Jess opened the door for Rory before loading the bags into the back of the small grey sedan. She missed the days of young love that she and Richard had gone through, but she had nearly 50 good years with him. "Richard, you watch over them." She whispered before closing the door behind her and entering the vastness that was now, exclusively, her home.


	41. Dances and Decisions

**January 17, 2009  
Naval Academy Officer's Hotel  
1645 hours**

"My God, Rory," Jess sighed as he walked up behind Rory. Picking the list up from the table, he looked over the schedule of events that they would be attending over the next few days, focusing primarily on the long list occupying Tuesday's activities. "How many of these balls do we have to go to?"

"Well since I have an in, thanks to a certain Marine who shall remain nameless," She gave him an impish smile, "Hugo roped me into attending the Commander in Chief's ball, I have to cover the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic Balls, and by virtue of my age, he has me covering the Youth Ball as well."

"That's a lot of events," He huffed, "When are we going to find time to breathe?"

"It's not even half of the balls that are occurring that night," Rory countered, "It's not like we have to attend them all like President-Elect and Mrs. Obama do. Besides, they're spread out throughout the day."

"Do have to wear my uniform for all of them?"

"Only if you want to," Rory shrugged, "But keep in mind that if you don't wear your blues, you have to wear a tux."

"Dress blues it is," Jess stood and meandered to the in-suite kitchen, "How do you feel about Chicken Florentine?"

"I think if you ask that again with your shirt off, we might be able to build up enough of an appetite to eat it." She smirked.

The corner of Jess's mouth quirked up as he slowly walked toward her, making sure she was watching as he lifted his shirt over his head, revealing his well-toned core. The quirk turned into a full-on smirk, which was known to make Rory weak in the knees, when he saw her blush. Stepping next to her, he pulled out her chair and helped her to her feet before lowering his voice to an intimate husk as he slowly undid the buttons of her blouse and lowered it off her shoulders as he spoke. "I said," He kissed the left side of her collarbone, "How would you feel," another kiss placed on the right side of her collar bone as his hands trailed lightly up her sides, "About Chicken," A feather light kiss went on her right cheek where her jaw and ear met, "Florentine," Left cheek, "With fettuccini?" His lips met hers for a deep kiss.

"God I love it when you talk Italian food to me," Rory sighed, dragging a chuckling Jess by his belt into the bedroom.

A couple hours later, dressed in sweats and one of his old PT shirts, Jess was putting the final touches on dinner while Rory put the salad together. "I still can't believe I got a you to eat salad," He teased.

"Hey, you forget I grew up a Danes," Rory countered, "I don't have the typical Lorelai Gilmore-Danes aversion to vegetables."

"Well make sure some of it at least makes it into the bowl." He chided, knowing her penchant for sneaking tidbits as she went along.

"Oh, I will," Rory gave him a knowing smirk as she popped a cherry tomato in her mouth, making Jess groan.

"Damn you, woman, you're going to be the death of me doing things like that?" Jess shook his head.

"Like what?" Rory asked innocently as she slid a carrot past her lips.

"Stop that!" Jess huffed, "If you're done making love to the veggies, the pasta's ready."

"Dirty!" Rory couldn't help but giggle as she brought the salad to the table she'd already set.

"Oh please, you are not as innocent as you pretend to be," Jess smiled at her as he transferred the pasta to a serving bowl and followed her to the dining room table, "I experienced proof of that not more than an hour ago."

"Why mister Mariano," Rory mocked, "Are you insinuating that I'm…"

"More than just a booktease?" Jess finished for her before taking her hand and leaning in until his lips met her, "Why yes I am, I think you've graduated to full-on tease. Not that I'm complaining."

"Kinda sounded like you were a few minutes ago," Rory grinned smugly.

"Well you eat vegetables in front of a man the way you did…" Jess motioned with his hand, "It tends to have a certain effect on him."

Rory just smiled and ate her pasta as Jess chuckled and shook his head before serving himself.

 **January 20, 2009  
US Capitol Building  
1115 hours**

Finally, the day had come, Rory was dressed in a professional charcoal suit and blue blouse with a warm black wool trench coat and bright pink scarf to keep her warm. The was the last day of her long assignment, she was equal parts excited and anxious for it to end. In one hand, she held her recorder and notepad while she worried a pen in her other hand while waiting for the ceremony to start. What she hadn't noticed was the nervous bouncing of her leg, at least until the warm hand of her boyfriend stilled it. She looked up gratefully at him, and like she'd been doing all morning. He looked impeccable in his black suit and simple white dress shirt which was open at the throat. He wore a subdued grey scarf about his neck and a wool trench over his suit.

"Nervous?" Jess asked.

"A little, this is the last day I'll be covering the President-Elect," Rory gave him an unsure look, "Who knows if I'll have a job tomorrow."

"I'm sure you'll have a job tomorrow. Hugo would have to be crazy to not extend your contract." Jess assured her.

"Thanks," Rory relaxed slightly against the back of the chair where she sat on the edge of the press corps so that she could squeeze Jess in with her. "Have you given any thought to what you're going to do? Did anything come of those meetings you've been going to since we got back from the memorial service."

"Yeah," Jess shrugged, "I think I might take the job that was offered to me after the Truncheon attempt."

"So Secret Service?" Rory clarified.

"Yeah, scuttlebutt is that the President-Elect specifically requested all three of us." Jess gave a humble tilt to his head.

"Oh stop that demurring," Rory grinned, playfully pushing his shoulder, "That's a great honor if he asked for your personally."

"I suppose you're right." He agreed, "It won't be immediate, I have about 6 months of training ahead of me. Luckily I don't have to find my own lodging during that time, the training center has lodging on site."

"I'll miss you," Rory sighed, her smile faltering at the thought of an indefinite separation.

"You'll be too busy working, Miss intrepid reporter." Jess teased.

Rory didn't get a chance to respond as the music signaling the start of the ceremony began from the other side of the stage. She focused in on what was being said, chuckled along with the rest of the audience when Chief Justice Roberts and President Obama got their signals crossed and talked over each other, and listened intently at the new president's inaugural address. Before they knew it, they were filing out of the audience to the train that would take them to where they parked.

"So what's next in our oh-so-busy agenda?" Jess asked as they pulled back into the hotel's parking lot around three that afternoon.

"The Commander's ball starts at Five, so we have about an hour to get ready and head out." Rory explained as they climbed the stairs and entered their suite.

"I take it that I should probably use the other room to get ready?" Jess teased.

"You would be correct, sir," Rory grinned, "I will need full use of the master bath and bedroom to get ready, your uniform is already in there."

"You had this planned, didn't you?" Jess chuckled.

"There's no harm in being well-prepared." She countered with a smug grin before disappearing into her room to get ready, leaving her boyfriend rolling his eyes and shaking his head at her.

Jess knew it wouldn't take long to get ready, but he figured a quick shower couldn't hurt. Soon he was showered, dressed, and lounging on the couch reading over the contract that had been messengered to him the previous day. Liking what he saw, he decided to sign the intent papers but quickly realized he didn't have a pen. Knowing that Rory kept a few spares in her bag, he flipped open the flap and started rummaging as he had done several times before.

After a few moments, he spotted a pen at the bottom of the bag. As he pulled out the writing implement, out fell a jewelry mailer magazine touting specials for Valentine's Day which was coming up within the next few weeks. He noticed some the pages were dog-eared, pen forgotten, he gave into his curiosity, flipping to one page and then another taking note of the items Rory had indicated. He smiled at the brief notes that she'd made in her neat hand, which only increased when he realized the notes included size preferences. Closing the magazine, he put it back into the bag, grabbed the pen, and set to work initialing and signing every indicated page.

A half hour later, he heard the door open and he stood, stopping cold when Rory appeared. She wore a long, form-fitting, strapless red gown that had a slit up the front of her right leg that ended high on her thigh, causing the dress to shift sexily as she walked toward him. Her peep-toe black heels showed off her matching pedicure. "You like?" She asked, spinning a slow circle before picking up her clutch and checking to see that her small notebook and pen were already there.

"Like doesn't begin to describe," Jess shook his head disbelievingly, "You're gonna upstage the first lady. I like the slit."

"Do you now?" Rory swayed over to him, "I had you specifically in mind when I bought this dress. I remember how you mentioned your fondness for spelunking when we first reunited."

Jess just smiled and kissed her gently, running his hands down her side over sides to her waist. As his hands dipped lower along her hips, his eyes widened in surprise. "Are you?"

"Nobody like's panty lines, Hun." Rory smirked at the shocked look on her boyfriend's face before turning toward the door, "You coming?"

"In a minute," His face split into a grin as he followed her out the door and to the awaiting town car that would be shuttling them between events. Once they were settled in the back of the car, Jess started running his hand affectionately on Rory's knee, "You are such a tease," He husked in her ear.

"You're not so sly yourself, mister ever north-bound hand," She grinned, placing a sultry kiss on his lips, "Behave yourself tonight and maybe I'll let you go spelunking later."

Jess' simply licked his lips and nodded, not trusting his voice. The first ball was fun for them, some of Jess' old classmates were at the first ball; all were impressed by the gorgeous woman who was on his arm. He was quick to point out that it was her mind that was the sexiest part of her. The next two balls were fairly low-key. While they had danced a little at the other balls, Jess surprised her when they reached the Youth ball and he led her to the after she'd finished the last of her interviews.

"What are you doing?" She giggled as she felt him pull her flush to his right hip, as his arm snaked around her back, hand resting on the middle of her back while his forearm into her side. Rory naturally slid her left arm to rest on his right as Jess took her other hand in his and placed it over her chest.

"Trust me," He smiled as the soulful trill of the piano started, soon joined by the bass, trombone, and sax sections as they bled every, last, note from the instruments. Rory couldn't help but smile as Jess swayed to the bluesy music, cutting a smother path across the floor. She could feel his heart beating beneath her hand as his breath caressed her cheek, sending goosebumps down her spine. He dipped her to her right and turned her in a slow arch so she rose to the left, all the while smirking at how the move accentuated the slit of her dress.

Rory blushed as she heard cat calls and wolf whistles from the other attendants of the dance. Even the President and First Lady and were watching with matching amusingly impressed smiles at the display of the pair. As the music faded, Jess dipped her once last time, wrapping his arms around her as he placed a soft kiss to his lips. When he put her back on her feet, whistles, howls, and applause could be heard. Even the guests of honor joined in on the clapping as Jess and Rory exited the floor.

"That was some pretty impressive moves you pulled out there," Came a warm baritone from behind them, surprising the young couple into silence.

"Thank you, Sir," Jess recovered first, shaking the man's offered hand.

"We've met before, haven't we?" The older man asked. "Mariano, wasn't it?"

"Yes, Sir," Jess confirmed.

"And you were in the press corps, weren't you?" The older man turned to Rory. "You're the one who took care of my girls last August. What was your name again?"

"Rory Danes," She blushed.

"I never got to thank you both for your actions for that day." The president smiled at them.

"It was nothing, Sir," Jess shrugged it off, "Your recommendation was more than enough, thank you."

"You're welcome," The older man smiled.

"Rory, the girls said you spent some time with them after what happened," The First Lady spoke up, resplendent in her flowing white gown, "Malia said you really helped her and Sasha to stay calm. I'm sure it could have been so much worse if you weren't there. Thank you so much."

"It wasn't anything anyone else wouldn't have done, Mrs. Obama," Rory smiled demurely, "They're sweet girls, I enjoyed the times I was able to spend with them."

"Malia said that you gave her some great book suggestions," The older woman smiled, "She's loving Oliver Twist."

"It was my pleasure."

At that moment, an older gentleman in a nice tux, wearing an earpiece walked up behind the older couple, whispering something in the President's ear. The older man gave them an apologetic smile, "We have to leave, no rest for the weary. It was nice seeing you, and I hope we can see each other again sometime soon." With that he placed an arm around his wife's waist and lead her toward the exit.

 **January 23, 2009  
Jess and Rory's hotel room  
0925 hours**

"I think that's about it," Jess announced, closing the zipper on his rucksack.

"Do you really have to go?" Rory asked, walking into his arms as she looked sadly around the room which was not completely devoid of any indicator that he'd ever been there."

"Yeah, I have to go," Jess sighed, kissing her forehead, "They don't mess around about punctuality and commitment honoring with these government jobs."

"When will I see you again?" She laid her head on his chest, her arms never moving from his waist holding him to her for as long as she could.

"I don't know; the training is about 10 months long or so." Jess shrugged, "I don't know if they'll give any time off between now and then. Trust me, the time will go fast, you'll probably be traveling here, there, and everywhere and have no time to write or call your lonely boyfriend. Who will have no recourse in life but a stretch of misery, missing you, and master…"

"Dirty!" Rory cut him off with a kiss. "And you know I won't leave you hanging." Jess gave her a look, "You know what I mean."

Jess just smirked and looked at his watch before giving a thoughtful look to Rory and the recently made bed, "You know, I still have a few hours before I have to report to headquarters. We could…"

"Jeeze, is that all that's on your mind, Mariano?" Rory teased, "I am not your play thing, I am a serious news woman."

Whatever Jess was going to say was cut off by the peppy melody coming from Rory's cell phone, "I should probably get that." She gave him an apologetic look before answering the phone and stepping into the living area. Jess couldn't hear what was being said, but from her expression and body language, he was sure it was good news. A few minutes later Rory let out a squeal and bounced around the sitting area.

"Good news?" Jess asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Very good news," Rory beamed, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him soundly, "You are talking to the newest member of the White House' press corps. That was Hugo, he said that he got an outstanding offer from the Washington Post to have me as their political correspondent assigned to the White House."

"What about the 'Zine?" Jess asked confused.

"They'll find someone else to replace me, Hugo said he knew he wouldn't be able to hold on to me for very long, especially once my articles started getting syndicated." Rory grinned, "He's just glad they didn't try to steal me away, they approached him with a very generous offer to buy the 'Zine's rights to my stories."

"Wow," Jess picked her up and swung her around, "That is fantastic, I think this deserves a celebration."

"I agree," Rory nodded, lifting her lips to meet his as they allowed their passion to consume them. Jess gently placed Rory's feet back on the ground and guided them back into the bedroom while never breaking their connection.

"Do you have any idea how sexy your mind is to me?" Jess asked, blazing a trail of kisses down Rory's neck as he unbuttoned her pale satin blouse to reveal the lacy black bra beneath, "Oh my God," He sighed, "That is so hot."

Rory giggled at the phrase, she loved how she affected him. With one look, one touch, she could reduce him to baser language. Any other guy referring to her as 'sexy' or 'hot' would have been a turn-off, but coming from Jess' lips as he explored her body was the biggest thrill for her.

"Uh uh," Jess swatted her hand away playfully as she reached to help him with his shirt, "This is your big break, let me reward you," he husked drawing her blouse down her arms before reaching for the zipper of her conservative grey skirt before letting it pool at her feet. After helping her step out of the skirt, he gently set her on the bed and kneeled at her feet. Ever so slowly he removed one heel and then the other before kissing his way up her legs, his hands deftly following, massaging and caressing every inch and every curve of her shapely legs. As he reached the top of the first stocking, he loved how she never wore full on pantyhose, but opted for the sexier thigh highs that didn't look any different under her clothes but never ceased to arouse him when he saw the delicate lacing at the top.

Maintaining his agonizing pace, he removed one stocking and then the other, in the same pattern, feel his way up, slowly strip the stocking off, all the while getting close enough to her center to get a reaction, but never making full contact. He smiled against the inside of her thigh as he heard her whimper, "Lay back," He whispered, smiling roguishly as he continued his agonizing ministrations. He could feel her heat against his cheek as he continued his little kisses, nips, and lick along the inside of both her legs, he could feel her quiver with anticipation. He couldn't help but grin when he heard her sigh as he divested her of the last two barriers between her skin and the cool morning air.

"Oh God," She moaned as his fingers gently traced her features from her eyes to her lips then down her neck and sides, all the while getting as close to her most sensitive areas without ever making full contact, "Jess…"

That was all she got out before the first wave crashed over her, sending thrills up and down her body. She could feel her pulse racing through her veins. "And to think, I've barely even touched you." Jess' voice was low and thick.

"Yes, yes you are very artful Dodger," Rory groaned as he resumed his exploration of her body, memorizing every curve, every dip as if he were burning her visage into his memory. "You know what I want."

"Patience, my love, patience," He promised as he continued, playing his fingers across her body like a Stradivarius, he knew how to hit the right notes to make her sing, or in her case cry out in ecstasy, with the faintest of touches. He took his time touching and tasting her until he could take no more and with one swift move, joined her in the eternal dance, reveling in the way she pulsed around him, drawing him deeper still until he met her in that heavenly place he only had ever been with her.

Wrapping her in his arms, he pulled her close, her head on his shoulder, her soft curves meeting the solid muscled body of the man she loved. "Now that's what I call a send-off," Rory teased breathily.

"The pleasure was all mine." He smiled as he kissed her forehead.

"Oh no," She grinned, dropping little kisses on his pecs, "I think it was most definitely both of our pleasure."

"No arguments there." Jess sighed as they both drifted off into a contented sleep.

Not more than an hour later, they were awoken from their slumber by the ringing of a cellphone. Jess was closer, and Rory too content to move, so he answered. "Rory's house of pleasure, this the Boy Toy Jess speaking."

"Dirty!" Came the warm chuckle of his uncle's wife, "Put my daughter on the line, would you? I need to get my mind off of what you just said before I have to send one very protective Daddy to kick your ass for deflowering his little girl."

"She was already deflowered when I got her," Jess teased.

"Give me that," Rory chuckled, pulling the phone from his hand, "Hi Mom… Yes, he is very proud of himself… No, you can't send Dad after him… because I still have use for him… Yes, I did mean that to sound dirty…" He heard her pause and chuckled as she rolled her eyes at whatever her mom was saying, "Oh my God, Mom! This is not share dirty stories time! Why don't we keep this conversation to topics that aren't going to land either one of us in therapy for years to come?"

Jess made a motion toward the bathroom to indicate that he was going to start getting ready to go. Rory held her hand over the microphone of the cellphone before whispering her intent to join him as soon as she got her mom taken care of, to which Jess answered with a requisite 'Dirty' which only served to make his girlfriend blush and roll her eyes at him while she shooed him away and wrapped the blanked about her and sat up.

Even though he'd shut the door behind him, he could still hear little snippets of the conversation. When he heard the shrill squeal, he knew Rory had broken the news to her mother about her new job. Smiling to himself, he started the water, adjusting it until it was the temperature they both preferred and stepped under the stream to wait for her. He didn't have to wait long before the curtain was pulled back enough to let his girlfriend into the space with him. After pressing a kiss to his lips, she looked up at him with a big grin on her face. "Mom is excited about my new job, she offered for her and Dad to come down and help me go apartment hunting. Oh, and she says good luck in your training."

"That was nice of her," Jess smiled, guiding her under the stream as he spoke. "You know, Matt and Chris will be heading back to Philly soon, they decided they are going to start looking at expanding Truncheon to other cities, the lease isn't up for a while, why don't you just stay there? We'll add your name to the lease."

"Thank you," She smiled up at him as he reached passed her for the floral scented bottle.

Rory sighed as she felt his nimble fingers working the shampoo through her hair. One of her favorite things about him was that he always took care of her, especially when he did things like wash her hair when they showered together. It wasn't much, but it was their thing; she loved it and him for it. Rinsing the suds out of her hair he repeated the process, this time with the conditioner, making a special effort to massage her scalp in the process, causing Rory to moan in appreciation. "Oh your hand's feel so good."

"That sounds familiar," Jess smirked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Shut up Dodger," Rory blushed right down to her toes.

Just before the warm water ran out, they stepped out and got re-dressed for the day. After checking to be sure they hadn't left anything behind they checked out and loaded up Rory's car. The drive to the DC Headquarters of the Marshall's office was done in relative, but companionable, silence; the couple holding hands over the console the whole way.

The drive seemed so long and altogether too short at the same time and before they knew it, they were pulling up to the training center. After a quick kiss and hug good bye along with promises of calls, letters, fruit baskets, and smoke signals, they parted ways.

Rory was relieved that Chris and Matt were so good to her when she got there. They'd already shuffled Chris' things to Matt's room so that she could have the master that Chris had been previously sleeping in. Of course, as time must, it went on, eventually the guys finished up the last bit of business they had with the Corps including getting registered with Philadelphia's Marines Reserve Corps. Before they left, they converted their old room in to a combined library and office for Rory so that she could work from home when needed, and with that, they went on with their lives.


	42. Stories and Surprises

**November 9, 2009  
White House Press Hall  
0845 hours**

The White House Press Corps' room was buzzing with activity as it always did on Monday mornings. Rory was loving every minute of it, she loved her colleagues at the Post, the other press corps members were all seasoned professionals and she learned so much from them. It was surprising to her that so many of them knew her work and were nothing but complementary to her work. One even mentioned that reading the story she'd written on the volunteer corps that Jess had lead 8 years before was to this day one of his favorite pieces of journalism, and that he was surprised when he found out it had been written by a high school Junior.

She still talked to her mother on a nearly daily basis and loved to hear what the denizens of the Hollow were up to. She especially loved hearing tell of her little brother who at 12 years old was already starting to terrorize Taylor. From what her mother had told her, clearly the boy had been in contact with his cousin because somehow another chalk outline had found its way in front of one of Taylor's businesses, this time the Candy Shoppe. Billy had even gone as far as to include an ice cream cone in one of the outline's hands. Taylor had threatened to report the boy for trespassing, something that Sheriff Dell had quashed pretty quickly. Rory wished she could have been home for that episode, her mom swore that she saw steam coming from Taylor's ears when it happened.

A sudden calm in the room caught her attention as it was usually an indication that the Press Secretary had arrived. The man calmly took the podium before adjusting the microphone, even though no one but him had touched it in the last few days, a nervous habit of his. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen." He greeted them then proceeded to go over some more mundane information as it was a slow news day in the West Wing. "Before we finish, could I please have the representatives for the Oregonian, Philadelphia Star, Times, and Washington Post come with me? Your requests for one on one interviews with the first family have been approved." The rest of the crowd thinned while the four reporters called followed the secretary to a small waiting area near the oval office.

After a few rules were laid out and it was confirmed that they all understood, the first reporter was called in. "Hi," The woman sitting next to Rory smiled, "My name's Katie, I'm with the Oregonian."

"Rory, Washington Post." She smiled back at the woman who was about the same age as her. With sparkling green eyes and sandy blonde hair. "How did you land this job?"

"I asked for it," The woman shrugged, "They had me covering local news centering in the city I grew up in, which just so happens to be on the northern bank of the Columbia River from Portland, where my paper is headquartered. And you?"

"I kinda fell into it, I guess you could say," Rory shrugged, "I was actually assigned to the Obama campaign trail after I graduated college. Some of my stuff got picked up by a few other news organizations during that time. The online magazine I wrote for kept me on through the inauguration, and a few days later, my boss calls me to tell me that he had received a generous offer from the post to buy out my contract."

"So they head hunted you?" Katie's eyebrows shot up, "Impressive."

"My boyfriend certainly thought so." Rory blushed, remembering Jess' reaction to the news, repeatedly. "I think it was just the thing he needed to hear before leaving. I think he was just about as worried as I was that I wasn't going to have anything to do once the campaign was done."

"You have a boyfriend?" Katie grinned, "Is he cute?"

"Cute doesn't even begin to describe it, he's handsome and charming, a bit puckish when he wants to be." Rory chuckled, "My younger brother idolizes him. I just heard from my mom the other day that he had pulled his own remix of a prank my boyfriend pulled over a decade ago."

"What did he do?" Katie leaned in conspiratorially, ignoring the annoyed look they were getting from the older man who represented the Star.

"Well, Jess, that's my boyfriend, had left a chalk outline of a body right in front of the town selectman's grocery store. Police tape and everything." Rory rolled her eyes, "Taylor flipped out thinking that a murder had actually be committed the night before. It took a while for Taylor to calm down again. Now my 12-year-old brother, Billy just did his own version of the same trick, only it was in front of Taylor's new store, an ice cream and candy shop. His twist was that he drew the outline carrying an ice cream cone. He even had used colored chalk to trace the ice cream spatter pattern."

Katie couldn't help but laugh, "That is genius!" She enthused, "What did this Taylor guy do?"

"He was irritated like last time, but didn't react so strongly this time around. Although, he did threaten to press charges for trespassing." Rory chuckled, "The sheriff pointed out to him that the body outline was on public property since it was on the sidewalk in front of the door, and even it was a part of the lot the building sat on, it still wouldn't be trespassing since Taylor leases the building from none other than my dad."

"Oh that's too good!" Katie crowed. The girls laughed over the story and others until Katie was called back to do her interviews, "Bye, Rory, it was nice to meet you!"

"Yeah, maybe sometime we can get lunch." Rory smiled back.

"I could be good with that," The young woman grinned before following the press secretary back to the interview room. An hour later, Katie came back and the reporter from the Times was called back, "Oh my God, Rory you will not believe this."

"What?" Rory looked up from the book she was reading, having finalized her questions already.

"The President has a new agent in his detail." Katie grinned, "He's just a little older than me, late 20's maybe early 30's. Fills out his suit really well. Dark hair, and a wry sense of humor, I caught him smirking at some of the questions I asked."

"Did you get his name?" Rory asked.

"Oh you know they don't give us that information…" Katie trailed off as something caught her eye down the hall.

"Rory?" The voice was one she hadn't heard in a long time, at least not live and in person. As she slowly turned around, she couldn't help but stop the grin that split her face.

"Oh my God, what are you doing here?" She asked, stepping into his arms, she knew better than to jump on him when he might be armed, which he would be if he was there for the reason she suspected.

"We're going to be seeing a lot more of each other," He kissed her forehead, "They approved the request."

"No, you mean you're…" Rory stood shocked.

"Yep," Jess smirked, "Hey, the man gets what he wants."

"When did you get out of training?" She asked.

"It ended a few days ago, but they wanted to keep us on campus until we got our duty assignments." Jess shrugged, "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, color me surprised, and thrilled, and…" She ran out of words so she decided to show him. Lifting up on her toes, she laced her hands behind his head and lowered his lips to meet hers in a soft but not less moving kiss.

"If you think that's good, I'm officially out of the training center. I dropped off my stuff at the apartment this morning on my way in."

"Really?" Rory grinned, as Jess nodded.

"So I take it the two of you know each other?" A feminine voice cut in.

"Oh, sorry," Rory shook her head, "Jess this is Katie, she's with the Oregonian. Katie, this is my boyfriend Jess who apparently thought surprising me before I go in for a big interview is a good idea."

Jess at least had the good nature to feign embarrassment, Rory just rolled her eyes and grinned at him, "I'm not complaining, mind you, just really surprised, but in a good way."

"Good," Jess kissed her forehead, "I gotta get back in there, I just didn't want your first sighting of me to be when you go in to talk to President Obama."

"See you at home later?" Rory smiled shyly.

"Wild horses couldn't keep me away," He husked low, giving her skirted suit a once over, "God, it's been so long."

"I'm well worth the wait," Rory responded coyly.

"You most definitely are." With one last kiss, he turned and headed down the hall from whence he came.

"So much for my designs on the new security detail," Katie jokingly sighed, "God you're lucky. You have a handsome man who's first thought upon getting back from being away for a long time and being assigned somewhere he knew you would be, not only assumed he was going to be living with you, but didn't hesitate to follow through. On top of that he finds you to tell you he's back so that you don't get distracted at your interview. I'd pay good money for a guy like that."

"I'm pretty sure that's called trafficking," Rory joked, "One day you'll find the right guy for you," Rory assured her, a moment later the secretary returned and called Rory back for her interview. Entering the Oval office, she took a seat on the sofa across from where the President was sitting and quickly organized her notes, "Nice to see you again, Mister President."

"Nice to see you again, Miss Danes." He smiled back.

Rory was on top of her game, asking thoughtful and challenging classes of the new commander in chief, who as she found out was fairly perceptive. He had noticed how her eyes would flick over to the far wall where his newest security detail stood, he smiled warmly at the young woman, "Go on, you know you want to."

Rory needed no other prompting, she quickly stood up and walked over to Jess, "Hi."

"Hi," He smiled.

"I think we've done this before." She grinned.

"Yeah, but I think we've moved on to better things since the last time," He smiled down at her, taking her head in his hand and soundly kissing her.

"Oh, I think I like these better things," She chuckled, "I have to head back in, I can't wait to see you at home."

"Me too, now get back to work so that you can afford to take care of me in the manner in which I plan to grow accustomed to." Jess teased.

Rory just laughed and gave him one last kiss, "Don't you worry your Sugar Mama has it all under control," With one last look and a hair flip, she returned to the president to complete his interview, afterward she spoke with the First Lady who was talking about doing a literacy tour to encourage young people everywhere to learn to read. Lastly she met with Malia and Sasha, the ladies had fun, they talked about anything they could think of from the situation the last year at the bookstore to their experiences on the campaign trail as well as now that they were living in the White House.

A few hours later, Rory arrived at the apartment and sat down to write her notes and start on her stories. She had just put the finishing touches on her articles when she heard the front door open and close, "If you're here to take advantage of me, you better make it quick. My boyfriend will be home soon." She called out, while quickly hitting a few keystrokes to submit her stories to her editor.

"Damn it, I was hoping to take my time," Jess teased back, leaning on the door frame, his suit jacket hanging open just enough to reveal his side arm.

"Oh well in that case," She sauntered over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, carful to not touch the service weapon that hung from his hip. "He can wait." Jess just groaned and lowered his head to meet her lips.

"You have no idea what you do to me," He murmured against her lips.

"I have a pretty good idea," Rory smirked coyly as she stepped closer feeling him pressing into her hip. "What do you say about seeing if I'm right?"

"I say, let me put my gun away." Jess slowly stepped back, grinning as he saw her little pout.

"But that takes all the fun out of it," She teased.

"Dirty. I meant my service weapon," He rolled his eyes as he moved past her and opened the gun safe they kept in the office closet. "You can play with the other one all you want in a minute."

Jess couldn't help but chuckle as he heard Rory chanting under her breath, "This is my rifle this is my gun…"

"I never should have let you watch that movie." He laughed, closing the safe and stepping back to her.

"I just wanted to see what your training was like." She pouted.

"Nothing like that, let me tell you," Jess chuckled, "Now if you don't mind, I believe there were a few advantages we were meant to be taking."

Rory sighed as he pulled her into his arms, massaging her lips with his, as his hands dove under her blouse caressing her back. When they made it to the bedroom, he lifted his hands to undo the buttons on her blouse before she gently pushed him back. "Uh uh," She shook her head, "It's your turn now."

Jess growled as she took her time removing his suit, first his jacket which she slid down his arms and tossed into a nearby chair, promising to hang it up later. Next she pulled his shirt from his waistband and slowly began to release buttons, one by agonizing one as she kissed, nibbled, and nipped at the exposed skin at his throat, moving lower as more flesh was exposed. He could feel her smile against his stomach when he involuntarily contracted his abs when he felt her light touch against the front of his slacks. It took all his control to not rush her as she slowly released his belt and the fastenings to his pants. He could tell by the impish sparkle in her eyes that she knew exactly what she was doing. It was glorious payback to the send-off he'd given her.

He stopped her only once, when she was about to drop to her knees in front of him, "If you do that, I'm liable to fall right over, you already have my head spinning so fast." He explained when she gave him a questioning look. Seeming to except his explanation, she pushed him back to the bed to finish what she'd started. He was surprised when she changed tactics, pushing him down on the bed before sitting at the end and pulling his foot into her lap. Her skirt had ridden up when she tucked her leg underneath her and he could feel her heat against his heel as she deftly worked her fingers over the sole of his foot, releasing the tension from being on his feet all day. If he hadn't already been straining for contact before, he certainly was now, he could feel himself twitch with every released muscle. Normally having her do something like this for him would be pleasurable, but in the state he was in, it was downright blissful agony. When she was nearly finished with his other food, she heard him groan his approval. His reaction causing the corners of her lips to lift, as she worked her hands up both his calves then his thighs, her delicate fingers releasing knots he didn't know he had.

"God Rory," He husked low as she worked her way over his thighs and rounded up to his hips. She was straddling his legs when she leaned forward, cautious to not make more than light contact with his body.

"Turn over," Her soft voice commanded.

"I don't think that I can," He resisted.

"Oh I think you can," She smiled softly giving him a kiss before sitting up on her knees allowing him to turn beneath her.

Jess was growing impatient as his need grew, pressed against the comforter and his stomach. He felt her deft fingers working their way from his neck down his arms and back before dropping her hands to the waistband of his boxers as she slowly pulled them from his body. "Close your eyes and roll over." She whispered in his ear. He didn't have to be told twice, he flipped over so quickly, he nearly took her over with him. The squeal and sparkle of laughter that followed were music to his ears.

There was no contact, he couldn't sense where she was, no movement on the bed. He thought he heard a shuffle to his left and turned his head toward it, only to feel her hot lips on the right side of his neck right behind his ear. There was more moments of teasing and flirtatious laughter from his incorrigible girlfriend. It was driving him crazy, her touching him, sure he could open his eyes and watch, but that would take some of the fun out of it, so he laid there like a good boy and allowed her fingers, and lips play along his sensitive skin. He felt her fingers tracing the tattoo on his shoulder as well as the one over his heart, causing him to remember the days each were added. He felt pressure on his chest as she pushed off of him.

"You thirsty?" She asked, her sultry voice suddenly rendering his mouth dry to the point where he could only nod. He went to sit up, but was gently pushed back down. Just as he was beginning to wonder what she was up to, he felt something hard, cold, and wet brush over his lips. He opened his mouth to allow her to feed him the ice cube but was surprised to find her lips securely wrapped around the oblong sphere. Soon they were kissing, their tongues dancing around the cube. He reached out for her, but was answered by her sucking the cube into her mouth and stepping out of his grasp. Jess could hear her chewing on the ice as other pieces clinked in a glass to his right.

"Jesus Christ, Mary, and Joseph!" He cried out when the mix of hot and cold met his skin, enfolding him in a paradox of temperature. The shock of the cold against his skin caused his pulse to race. He groaned as droplets of melding water ran down him, causing little pools to gather where his well-formed muscles intersected. Before long the whole piece had melted against his hot skin, he didn't know what was coming next. He felt Rory kneel over him, her knees resting just outside his hips to the point that if she sat back, she would be in for a big surprise.

She took his hands placing them on her thighs just below where her skirt lay. In slow, sure movements, she gently guided his hand in exploring her. Jess had never known her to be as bold as she had been for the last half hour and it was only getting better. When he got to where his hands me, the was surprised to find there was no barrier between his skin and hers. "Would you believe that I've been like this all day?" She whispered softly in his ear, causing his eyes to burst open.

There she sat, skirt hiked up to her hips, showing the barest hint of herself below the hemline, a silken blouse that matched her eyes unbuttoned and hanging off her shoulders. Her breasts were barely restrained by a small piece of lace that claimed to be a bra, and the pleased look on her face as she watched his reactions just about did her in. Seeing the pleading look on his face, she gave him a warm, slow smile as she lowered herself back inch by inch, wrapping him in warm, satin. She stopped only momentarily for him to catch his breath before continuing in the dance with which they were both intimately acquainted with. He felt her hips rock back as he slid his hand along her stomach wondering absently what she would look like carrying his child. _Where did that come from?_ He wondered as he allowed his thumb to dip between them, making her gasp as he slowly took over.

He watched her move slowly over him as his hands divested her of the last scraps from her ivory skin. He loved watching her like this, head thrown back, reveling in the feel of him beneath her. He could feel her pulsing around him and knew she wouldn't last much longer, and truth be told neither would he. Pulling her closer, he flipped them over and proceeded to make love to her as wave after wave crashed over them until they were both breathless in each other's arms.


	43. Oahu is for Lovers

**December 15, 2009  
Oahu Beach Hilton  
1305 hours**

"Yes Mom, I'm sure," Rory insisted over the phone as she paced back and forth her floral sundress fluttering in the breeze of her patio. She had been on the phone with her mother for well over an hour explaining that there was still no way she was going to be able to make it to the Hollow for Christmas as she was one of the select press corps members requested to travel to Hawaii with the Obama family. "No, Jess is not with me… No, we didn't break up, I mean he isn't physically with me right now. He had to work."

She rolled her eyes as her mother continued on the ridiculous tangent she'd been on for the past half hour, waiting for a break in the surge of language, Rory interrupted, "Mom? Sorry I gotta go to work. Not I'm not just saying that to get out of talking to you. I'll call you later. Give everyone a kiss for me."

"You were totally trying to get rid of her," Jess teased, letting himself into their room. Usually security detail roomed together, and Press Corps usually had their own room or shared with another journalist, but they had convinced the travel coordinators to allow them to share the room.

"She's acting more Lorelai-ish than usual." Rory sighed, "It's almost as if she'd expecting me to suddenly come back or call saying that I was coming home forever."

"I'm sure that's not what she was thinking." Jess tried to assure her as he disarmed. _She'd better not say anything,_ he thought to himself before changing the subject. "I'm hungry, do you want to go eat?"

"Did you seriously just ask me that question?" Rory challenged him, her eyebrow arching in disbelief.

"Sorry, what was I thinking," Jess chuckled as he changed into more casual clothes, putting on a show when he caught her looking. "Like what you see?" He smirked, causing her to blush. Sliding on his worn-in converse, he opened the door and ushered her out, "After you, madam."

"Why thank you good sir," Rory smiled up at him, "What do you want to eat?" Jess gave her a side look and she practically heard him calling her on the 'Dirty,' before responding.

"I was thinking Pineapple Jim's," Jess shrugged, "I could go for a good burger right now."

"Me too." Rory smiled as Jess wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her toward the boardwalk where the restaurant was located.

 **December 24, 2009  
Oahu Beach Hilton  
2330 hours**

"Hey, do you think you're up for a midnight stroll?" Jess asked Rory as they sat on the balcony of their hotel room, enjoying the light breeze that came off the ocean in front of them.

"Was I mistaken, or did you just use the word 'stroll?'" Rory teased.

"Don't break my balls," Jess rolled his eyes, "You wanna go or not?"

"Okay," Rory shrugged as Jess stood and assisted her up.

They quickly made their way down to the beach which was still lit by the lights from the local resorts, the soft glow created a moonlight-ish effect on the young couple as they walked along the shoreline hand in hand. Every once in a while, Jess would look at his watch for a moment before continuing on. The oddness of the motion made Rory curious as to his behavior, and she started to wonder where they were headed when he picked up the pace a bit.

"Where are we going?" She asked, looking up at him.

"You'll see," He smirked.

"Are we trying to beat something closing or are we expected somewhere?" She persisted.

"You'll see," He repeated as they crested a small dune that was somewhat sheltered between two resorts. One of the outdoor lights shone down on the center like a spotlight was aimed right at where they stood. Jess took one last look at his watch before taking her in his arms and kissing her soundly.

"What was that for?" She asked, "Not that I'm complaining."

"For being you," He smiled down at her, "I love you Rory." He whispered against her cheek, "Marry me?"

Rory stepped back, shocked by the sudden request, "What did you just say?"

"I said I love you, I can't imagine my life without you. When I think about my future you're there, and there's a kid, sometimes two with your amazing eyes and my dark hair. You reading that damned Ayn Rand to them at night while I try to sneak in a little Hemmingway on my nights. I want that so badly, and I want it with you. I know you've thought about it, you're not exactly subtle with the jewelry magazines." He chuckled, "Please," He dropped to his knees before her, pulling out a ring that was an amalgam of all the rings she had loved in the magazines, it was a beautiful solitaire surrounded by pale sapphires, and set in a platinum band. "Will you be my wife?"

"Oh my God, of course I will marry you!" She cried out, as he stood, relief and joy radiating off of him as he took the ring out of its velvet bed and placed it on her finger. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Jess smiled against her lips, "I have one more surprise for you." He took her hand and lead her down the other side of the dune and into a small alcove that was lit by torches. She could make out some people standing around, but didn't realize who they were until they got closer.

"Did you do it?" An excitable brunette practically pounced on them.

"Yes, I did," Jess squeezed Rory's right hand in his as he looked at her affectionately.

"And?" The brunette led them.

"I said yes!" Rory thrust her hand out under her mother's nose, "And I can't believe you're here!"

"Like we could miss Christmas with you." Lorelai smiled at her before returning her focus to the ring, "My God Jess, this is gorgeous!"

"Lemmie see!" Demanded a 10-year-old girl with a dark strawberry blonde ponytail, pulling on Rory's arm so she could get a better look. "Oooh pretty! Can I have one?"

"No, Sweets," Lorelai stroked her daughter's curls, "Not until you're older, much older."

"Like 40," A deep baritone voice joined the commotion.

"But Daddy," The little girl whined, putting on her best pout and doe eyes.

"But Mimi," The older man mimicked before turning stern again, "40," He tried not to laugh as his daughter let out an exaggerated groan.

"Don't worry, Babe, I'll talk your Daddy down." Lorelai assured the little girl, why don't you go see what your Grandma and brother are up to."

"'Kay," the little girl turned on her heel and bounded off toward her older brother.

"Congratulations," Luke smiled, pulling Rory into a hug before turning his eyes on his nephew, "And you, don't screw it up."

"Trust me, I won't," Jess chuckled.

"You laugh now, but you hurt my little girl and…"

"I'll get the mother of all ass kickings; I got it." Jess smiled, "Don't worry, you won't be making trip to DC anytime soon."

"Good," Luke nodded, patting the younger man on the shoulder.

The impromptu engagement/Christmas Eve party lasted late into the night until all participants were about ready to drop from exhaustion, jetlag, or a combination of both. With a round of hugs, kisses, and promises of gift exchanges the next day, they parted ways to head back to their hotels.

 **December 25, 2009  
Oahu Beach Hilton  
0536 hours**

"Was it really necessary for us to have to be up this early?" Luke complained as he did every year when Lorelai woke him up early to open presents.

"Oh hush you," Lorelai poked him in the side as they walked down the hall toward Rory and Jess' suite where the tree and presents had been set up. "You were awake anyway. You and I both know you are on East Coast time which means it's more like 10:30 for you."

Luke just grumbled his resignation before knocking on the door to the suite. They waited a few moments until Billy and Mimi started to get a little anxious. Knocking again, he could finally hear movement. "Whoever it is better have a damn good reason for waking me up." They heard the dark growl as the door opened and the speaker's voice lost its growl but was still rough from sleep or at least that's all he and Rory would be admitting to the family. "Huh. I'll go get Rory. Take seats wherever, There's a coffee maker in the kitchen if you want to start it up, Luke."

With a nod the men went their separate ways, Luke to start the coffee and hot water for the people who would be having tea or hot chocolate. Jess slowly opened the door, closing it behind him as he watched his fiancée sleep. She had rolled over and was now cuddling with his pillow, the sheet covered her up to her waist so that the skin of her back and sides could be seen. He sat down next to her and gently stroked her back while he dropped a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. "Good morning, sleepy head."

"Mmph," Rory groaned, "Early, must kill early." She rolled over to face him. She gasped as she felt his thumb trail over her breast.

Jess couldn't help it, he lowered his mouth to suckle her gently, grinning at the sharp intake of breath he heard pass her lips followed by a soft moan as he let his lips trail across to the other nipple as his hand replaced his mouth on the formerly occupied breast. "I could get used to waking up like that," She sighed.

"I do believe I have used this tactic before," He chuckled, "A very effective one, if memory serves."

"Mmm" She sighed as he flicked his tongue over her nipple one more time before sliding the sheets up over her to reduce the temptation to finish what he started. "Your parents are here."

"Way to kill the mood, Mariano." Rory chuckled, her voice low and thick, sending shivers down his spine and heat through his body. "But maybe if we are really quiet."

"Impossible." Jess grinned, shaking his head, "You my love are very vocal."

"And I'm the only one?" She teased, running her fingertips ups his arm, over his shoulder and down his chest, "I'm pretty sure they heard you down the hall last night."

"I can't help it, I want everyone to know what an incredible, sexy, sensual, fiancée I have." He punctuated each descriptor with a kiss. "Even if that weren't the case, if I don't get you out of bed, and preferably dressed within the next 30 seconds, you know your mom will come bursting through that door."

"I suppose you have a point." She smiled softly, "I'll get dressed, but you might want to avert your eyes and think about baseball or something equally unstimulating."

Jess chuckled wryly as he made a show of turning away, covering his eyes, and reciting a list of decidedly unsexy things. Rory just rolled her eyes at his antics as she slid out of the bed, grabbing her candy cane pajama bottoms, a bra, and white long-sleeved t-shirt before running a brush through her hair and pulling it up in a high ponytail and brushing her teeth. "Okay, you may look now." She informed him.

"Okay, that's just not fair," Jess stood and walked toward her, placing his hands on her hips as he gave her a once over. "You know what those pajamas do to me."

"Oh shut up," She laughed, playfully slapping his chest.

"What?" Jess looked at her, feigning innocence, "Those candy canes are giving me ideas."

"Perve," She chuckled, giving him a kiss, "Let's go open presents before the parentals wonder what is taking so long."

"After you," He smiled, something he found he did more often nowadays, taking her hand and guiding her out of the door and into the main living area.

"It's about time, you weren't doing anything dirty were you?" Lorelai teased from her position curled up against Luke who was sitting on the end of the large sofa. Luke's left arm was draped over her shoulders as they sipped their respective morning beverages.

"Mom!" Rory protested with a blush shooting a glance to her younger siblings who were either used to ignoring their mother's innuendo or were oblivious to her meaning. "You know I don't willingly do early mornings. Took me a while to wake up." She took a seat on the couch as Jess handed her a steaming cup of her live-giving elixir. "Thanks."

"But Rory, it's _Christmas_ , you have to wake up early on Christmas," Lorelai protested, "It's like a law." Rory rolled her eyes as both women ignored the derisive snorts from their respective spouses.

"Mom, can we open presents now?" Mimi asked from her position on the floor.

"Of course, I'm sure Billy is excited to open his as well." Lorelai aimed the last comment towards her middle child who sat a short distance from his younger sister as he tried to look casual and disinterested as he shrugged despite everyone know it was just an act. "He's practicing for his moody teenager phase." She explained, "I think his goal is to be more of a public menace than his cousin was."

"I wasn't all that bad," Jess protested half-heartedly as he helped Luke in passing out the gifts.

"You weren't in town very long, but you did make an impression," Luke rolled his eyes, "Taylor still insists that you are a Hoodlum, despite your record to the contrary."

"Well it _is Taylor_ ," Lorelai added, "He's already referring to Billy as your Hoodlum apprentice, but enough of this, let's open presents."

The family all dove into their gifts. Mimi received several books from her sister and Jess, a journal and pen set from her mother and a beautiful locket similar to the one Rory wore from her father. Billy got a DVD set of all 6 Star Wars movies from Rory, who had heard that Luke had passed on his love for the series. Jess got him a book on Baseball legends. Lastly, he received new cleats, a BoSox cap, a mitt, and bat from his parents. Luke rolled his eyes as he opened each successive package, each revealing a sweater or pants along with a gag gift, from Rory and Jess it was a Jimmy Buffett shirt with hamburgers on it that they had found when they'd first arrived in Hawaii, Mimi and Billy had pooled their allowance to buy him a Star Trek Captain's shirt. Lastly Lorelai gave him a spatula tied with a red and green flannel bow. All of which was fairly a-typical for the family since Luke was well known for being hard to shop for. Lorelai received mostly jewelry from her family, the kids got her earrings to match the bracelet she received from her husband. Rory got her a box-set of Wonder Woman DVDs and a necklace that matched the set she'd already received from Luke and the younger kids. Jess gave her a book he thought she'd enjoy.

Jess opened up his gifts, all books and waited anxiously as Rory opened her gifts. Several books and a lovely tennis bracelet from Jess later, she finished opening her gifts. "So should we all go get dressed to go out for breakfast?" Rory asked looking around the room.

"Not just yet, you both still have a couple more gifts to open." Lorelai stopped the younger couple, handing Jess and Rory an engraved envelope. "Look it over then Rory you are going to come with me while Jess you will go with Luke."

The couple gave her a curious look before slowly opening the envelope and pulling out the piece of parchment contained within and reading the contents.

 _USMC Captain (Ret.) Luke and Missus Lorelai Danes_

 _Cordially invite you to join them in celebrating the wedding of their daughter,_

 _Lorelai Leigh Amelia Gilmore Danes_

 _To_

 _USMC Captain Jessup William Mariano_

 _December 31_ _st_ _2009_

 _Oahu Beach Hilton_

 _134 Makloki Dr._

 _Oahu, Hawaii_

 _1830 hours (6:30 pm for you non-military people)_

 _Reception to follow_

"Oh my God, Mom!" Rory looked up at her mother who was beaming, "You did this?"

"I pulled a few strings," Lorelai shrugged, "I figured you two have waited long enough and would want to make it official as soon as possible."

"Thank you," She whispered, wiping happy tears from her eyes. A moment later a look of realization passed over her face, "This is next week! I have nothing to wear!"

"Which is why we are in full-on divide and conquer mode," Lorelai explained, "Jess, you are going to go with the boys to make sure all the uniforms are in proper order and get Billy fit for his suit. Rory, you are going to come with Mimi and me to find you something to wear. We will meet in the lobby in 45 minutes, okay go!"

The family dashed to their respective rooms to dress before reconvening in the Lobby to continue with their day. Rory kissed Jess goodbye before they were dragged in opposite directions. As Jess was being surprised at the tailors with his best friends and seconds, Rory was walking into a bridal store with her mom and younger sister.

"Okay, so we found like six dresses that we think you would like." A smiling Korean woman with thick glasses embraced Rory in a strong hug.

"Why six?" Rory asked Lane, "And I'm so glad you're here!"

"Paris and I couldn't agree on which dresses were more 'Rory Danes,'" Lane shrugged.

"Paris is here too?" Rory looked around before her eyes fell on the thin, stern, blonde who sat with her phone pressed to her ear.

"I know it is highly abnormal for me to just take off to Hawaii in the middle of my case," Paris was barely containing her frustration with whomever was on the other end of the call, "No you listen, _Judge Rosenbaum_ , my best friend is getting married and I have to be there for her. I'm sure the superior court can get by without me for a few days." After a few more tense words, Paris turned off her phone and put in in her purse with a huff, "Jewish lawyers…"

Rory chuckled at Paris's exasperation, "Aren't you a Jewish lawyer?"

"Don't could the issue with logic," Paris retorted before standing and giving Rory a hug, something she'd grown more comfortable with since she got together with Doyle, to whom the blonde was engaged to be married in the upcoming spring. They already had The Dragonfly reserved and Rabbi Barans had agreed to officiate the services, having gotten to know Paris better over her many visits during high school and undergrad classes at Yale when she would visit the Hollow with Rory. "So you finally got your Marine to propose."

"Yeah he was a tougher nut to crack than your newsman." Rory joked, "I like your hair the pixie cut looks well on you."

"Thanks, it kept getting in my way, so I just went home and cut it off one day." Paris shrugged, "Doyle wouldn't let me out of the bedroom for a week after that. Apparently, he had a crush on Tinkerbell as a child so the short hair was a fantasy come true for him. Especially when he had me wear…"

"That was more than I needed to know," Rory chuckled.

"That was more than anyone needed to know," Lane chuckled, she and Paris had also become closer through their friendship with Rory. "I hate to break this up, but one of us has dresses to try on."

With that the women led Rory over to the rack where the dresses hung neatly. Rory grabbed on then ducked into the dressing room to try it on, "So where are Doyle and Dave today?" She called through the door.

"Dave is back at the hotel working on lyrics for the latest song he wrote." Lane explained, "Do you need any help in there?"

"No, I got it," Rory looked one way then another at the overly poufy dress and shook her head, "This one isn't working, could you hand me another?"

Paris walked to the rack, pulling a one-shouldered gown down and knocking on the door, "Here."

"Thanks, so what's your guy up to?" Rory asked, slipping out of one gown and into the other.

"The only way he could get out of work was to bring it with him," Paris explained, "He got roped into writing an article for the travel section on Oahu attractions. I think he's looking into the hotel right now."

"I don't know about this," Rory gave the women a look as she stepped out of the dressing room; the one shoulder gown hugged her body to her knees where if flared in a mermaid train.

"Yeah, that's not it." Lorelai shook her head, "Try again."

This was repeated a couple more times until dress number five was sent through the door. "Rory, do you need help?" Lane called when Rory didn't come out for a minute.

"Yeah, could you come do me up?" She called back. Lane quickly disappeared into the room only to emerge a moment later, a grin splitting her features as she gave Lorelai and Paris a thumbs up. "I present to you, the future Mrs. Jessup Mariano," She announced.

Rory slowly opened the door and stepped out. The smile on her face could not be contained and grew wider when she heard her mother gasp. She wore a simple dressed that had flutter sleeves, and a sweetheart neckline. The bodice was a corset style that laced up the back and hugged her every curve down to where it loosely fell at her feet, rippling in light waves as she walked, the slight chapel train trailing behind her. "What do you think?"

"That's the one, isn't it?" Lorelai asked needlessly, "It's still missing something," She murmured, digging in her bag and pulling out a velvet draw-string pouch and approached her daughter. Slowly pulling the bag open, she drew out the item held within, "You can't forget this." She smiled, placing the tiara that both Emily and she had worn at their own weddings before stepping back. Rory took a look in the mirror at the full effect, wiping happy tears from her eyes as she looked between her reflection and her best friends who shared similar looks.

"Oh wow," Rory sighed, "I knew it was real before, but it feels so supremely real now."

"Just wait until Jess get a look at you," Lane smiled, "I think his groomsmen are going to have to lift his jaw up off the floor before you say your vows."

"You look like a princess," Mimi added, "Mommy, can I look like a princess too?"

Lorelai looked awkwardly between her daughters, not knowing how to answer until her first born spoke up, "You can if you want to be my flower girl." Rory smiled. "Let me get out of this dress then we can find dresses for you, Mom, Lane, and Paris."

Mimi beamed excitedly as Rory and Lane returned to the fitting room so that Rory could change back into her other clothes. A few minutes later the women hit the shop like a whirling dervish and within a half an hour, all dresses were selected, paid for, and fitting arrangements were made to make a few slight modifications to Rory's dress, including a deep Navy blue sash with a red stripe along the middle.

The men had a somewhat easier time with their preparations. All four marines had gathered in Matt and Chris' room where the uniforms were kept, after giving the uniforms a once over to ensure all applicable insignias and ribbons were attached and in the correct order, they then set off to the tailor to find a suit for Billy, who would be serving as ring bearer. The young man had protested at first but was quickly reminded that Rory would want him to be in the wedding, which quieted him just as fast. In the end they had settled on a dark navy suit with a deep red tie and white dress shirt before heading out of the store and back to the hotel.


	44. Finally

**December 31, 2009  
Luke and Lorelai's Suite  
0915 hours**

"Good morning sleepy head, guess what day it is!" Lorelai's soft voice did nothing to hide her excitement over what was going to occur that day.

"Wedding day!" Rory grinned sleepily as she rolled over in the bed she had slept in the night before. "What time is it?"

"A little after nine," Lorelai gave a small shrug, "Your dad has breakfast and, more importantly for a Danes Dame, coffee waiting in the dining room. We have a lot to do today, so up and at 'em."

"I'm up," Rory swung her legs over the side of the bed before glancing at the wardrobe in the corner, "Um Mom?" Her voice trailed off.

"You want to try it on again, don't you?" Her mother smiled softly, remembering her own wedding day, and the story of her own mother's wedding day. Each one of them had the urge to try on their dresses as often as they could. It had become an unspoken premonition of a long, mostly happy, marriage for all of them. Lorelai was so happy that Rory was feeling the impulse too. "Okay, one last time, then you have to get showered and fed. We have about a half dozen women to get through nails, hair, and makeup. We have to make you all pretty to see your guy again."

Rory just nodded as she practically ran to the wardrobe, throwing it open to reveal the gown she had picked out a week prior. Since then shoes had been added, a pair of peep-toe heels that boosted her just a bit short of Jess' taller frame. Quickly slipping out of the old pair of MMA sweats and t-shirt she'd stolen from her fiancé to wear for the night, she slid the dress over her head and bounced excitedly as Lorelai laced up the dress before stepping back and letting the younger girl spin around like a five-year-old in the summer.

"Okay, dress off and into the shower with you," Lorelai chuckled, stopping her daughter's rotations. Rory just nodded her acquiescence before sliding the dress down her thin frame and pulling her pajamas on once more. She grabbed a button up shirt and a pair of jeans from the desk and practically skipped off to the bedroom.

At first Rory thought that 8 hours to get ready was too much, but she was glad of the last bit of time she had and that she wasn't rushed to get ready. The day was spent leisurely rotating through the prep stations as they had decided to call them as they watched a marathon of wedding-related movies. Both the original and the remake of _Father of the Bride_ was interspersed with _My Best Friend's Wedding, Runaway Bride,_ and _The Princess Bride._ Before she knew it, the clock read five in the afternoon, signaling that they were to start getting dressed. The women disbursed into various rooms to start getting dressed, carefully removing casual clothing around makeup and styled hair and slipping into their dresses. Since Rory needed assistance with securing her dress, she helped her younger sister get dressed while her mother and grandmother were changing. Soon Paris and Lane were knocking on the door to her mother's bedroom. Both were dressed in deep red dresses similar in shape and color to Rory's only their skirts ended just below their knees. Lane had opted for spaghetti straps that went over her shoulders and crisscrossed over her back. Paris had chosen modest cap-sleeves to complete her own.

"Are you decent?" She heard Lane's voice call out, "May we come in?"

"Oh like either of you haven't seen her without her clothes on," Lorelai teased, opening the door, "Come on in. It's time for the grand unveiling and re-veiling."

"'Re-veiling?' That's a bit of a stretch, even for you," Rory rolled her eyes as she stepped out of her jeans and undid the black button up shirt she'd stolen from her fiancé earlier that day revealing the pure white low-back corset and panty set she wore. Paris and Lane had already removed the dress from his hanger and had it prepped to go on over her head when Lorelai stopped them.

"Oh, before the dress goes on," Lorelai bustled up, carrying something lacy that had a thick strip of blue with a crimson line over the middle and a medallion that was stitched to the side. "Lift," She instructed, sliding the garter up Rory's leg and settled it just above her daughter's knee. "Okay you may now proceed with the dressing of the bride. We'll leave you to it."

Rory, Paris, and Lane all rolled their eyes as Lorelai, Mimi, and Emily made their exit into the living room while Paris and Lane guided the dress over Rory's delicately curled hair and carefully designed makeup. Once the dress was on, Rory held it in place as one her friends fetched her shoes and the other tightened the laces, "Hey, it's just corset style, Paris, not an actual corset." Rory teased when Paris got a bit too aggressive with the stays, "I would like to be able to breath at my wedding."

"Oh," Paris loosened the laces a bit, "Better?"

"Much, thank you." Rory smiled back as Lane returned with the shoes, "Hey while you're down there, could you move my garter a little higher or at least lift my skirt enough so I can?"

"Sure," Lane shrugged from her position kneeled at Rory's feet, not as shy as she once would have been with her conservative upbringing, she quickly slid the garter to rest half way up her friend's thigh, "Good enough? Better be, cause that's all the further it's going to go by my hand."

"Thank you," Rory chuckled as Lane settled the skirt over her legs once more and assisted her into her shoes. Once the shoes were on, Rory sat at the vanity as Lane settled the tiara on her head and secured the veil to her curls, which had been partly pulled up to accommodate and hide the combs of both pieces. Just as Lane had finished resettling Rory's hair, a knock sounded at the door.

"May I come in?" The warm baritone sounded through the door.

"What's the password?" Lane teased.

"I'm the father of the bride," The deeper voice chuckled, a sound that few outside of the family ever got to hear from the gruff diner owner.

"You may enter," Lane opened the door, smiling up at him as he passed her.

"You all look very lovely today," The older man complemented the three young women before him, his smile widening as his eyes settled on that of his daughter. A range of motions danced in his eyes, visible only to Rory who had experience reading the eyes of the Danes and Mariano men from her father and brother to the man she was going to marry. She smiled softly as she saw pride, joy, sorrow, wonder, and a touch of sadness pass through his eyes. "And Rory, wow. You are just as beautiful as your mother was on our wedding day." His voice was barely more of a whisper as he walked over and offered his hand to assist her in standing.

"Thank you, Daddy," She smiled up at him, enjoying the feel of her small hand in his large one. It was a hand who had picked her up when she'd fallen off her bike as a child and scraped her knee on the sidewalk in front of the diner. It had soothed her fevers, and dried her tears. It had always amazed her how her father's work-calloused hands could be the perfect paradox of rough and gentle like the man himself. Jess' hands held the same paradox, it was something she'd always on some level associated with safety and protection. Despite being a strong, independent, woman like her mother before her, she'd learned that you can still be strong and independent while sharing the burden with the man you love.

"You haven't called me Daddy since you were little." His warm voice soothed over her as he pulled her into his strong arms and held her to his chest, "I am so proud of the woman you've become."

"I'm proud of me too," Rory smiled up at him, "You did good, Dad. You managed to raise a child to adulthood without killing her."

"You were easy," Luke chuckled, "Your brother may be the end of me, but I hope Mimi takes more after her older sister."

"Well isn't this just the sweetest moment," Rory heard her mother coo, she and her father had been lost in their own moment and hadn't noticed the other women who had joined them. "It's just about time to head down. Matt just stopped by to let us know that the guys were heading down now. But before we go, I must tell you how absolutely gorgeous you look," Lorelai smiled, taking her daughter's hands in her own.

"Thanks Mom," Rory smiled, giving her mother a once over. The older woman was dressed in a knee-length deep navy blue dress with thick shoulder straps and a sweetheart neckline to match the bridal party. At her side was her youngest daughter who wore a simple white tea-length dress with a square neckline and short sleeves and was tied at the waist with a deep red sash.

"She's right, you look absolutely resplendent," Emily added, her softly wrinkled hand lifted to caress her granddaughter's cheek.

"Thanks Grandma." Like her mother, her grandmother was also dressed in deep navy. Rory loved the conservative dress. It had a straight skirt that stopped at the half-way point of the woman's knee caps and had a matching ¾ sleeve jacket. Lorelai had tried to get her to buy a navy skirted suit and red blouse but the Gilmore matriarch refused, stating that it was improper for a woman of her age to wear such a color, stating that it was more suited for younger, more passionate women than herself.

"Well, let's go get you married," Lorelai announced, brining Rory back to focus and eliciting a whoop from the younger women. Emily and Luke to grimaced and rolled their eyed good-naturedly as they followed the rest of the party into the living room. The group quickly checked to make sure they had room keys and purses before heading down to the gazebo that overlooked the ocean where Rory and Jess were to be wed. Every once in a while, they were stopped by various patrons of the hotel who wanted to offer congratulations, best wishes, or to complement Rory's dress.

Before long, they had reached the staging area for the bridal party, Rory could hear the music playing from outside, courtesy of Hep Alien who had offered to play the wedding as their gift to Rory. They were even going to do a short set at the reception later, once Lane had finished her matron-of-honor duties. The guys, led by Lane's husband, Dave played an acoustic classical set while Matt and Chris escorted Lorelai and Emily to their seats before rejoining the group. The hotel's wedding coordinator got them settled in order, first Paris and Chris, then Lane and Matt who was the best man, followed by Mimi who was bouncing excitedly on her feet while trying not to drop the red rose petals in her basket and Billy who held the satin pillow upon which lay Rory and Jess' rings. Last and off to the side so that they could not be seen when the doors opened was Rory and Luke

They watched as the procession began, smiling at Mimi's excitement over being involved in the event. Eventually the doors were closed and they stepped into their positions while the coordinator straightened Rory's dress. "You ready?" Luke asked, offering his left arm to his daughter and securing his cover on his head as they were about to step outside.

"I should be asking you the same thing," She smiled up at him, slipping her hand in to the crook of his elbow, "It's not every day you have to give your daughter away."

"Thank God I have at least another decade and a half to get ready for the next one," Luke joked as they heard the music change from the more mellow but celebratory piece to Pachelbel's Cannon in D "Okay Mrs. Mariano, shall we go?"

"Let's shall." She beamed up at him before they both faced forward and waited for the doors to be opened to them. The moment the doors swung open before them, Lorelai stood and the band took it as their cue to shift into their variation of Rockobel's Cannon, making Rory chuckle a little. She knew that must have been put into motion by the team work of her mother and best friend. Just as they took their first step, her eyes met Jess' and locked in. He looked so handsome in his uniform, bearing insignias that showed he outranked his groomsmen. His hat sat firmly on his head, visor doing nothing to hide his eyes as his hand rested firmly on the hilt of his grandfather's sword which hung from his left hip.

The look of shock, awe, and barely veiled excitement on her fiancé's face made her blush but she never took her eyes off him. If she had, she would have noticed that nearly the whole town of Stars Hollow as well as some of her friends from college and Jess' friends from the Corps had all flown in for the event with their families. Not to mention the small family who had filed into the back row at the last minute.

Jess was equal parts excited and nervous as he stood on the boardwalk leading up to the gazebo. Reverend Skinner tried to distract him with small talk after Matt and Chris had left to attend to their duties as best man and groomsman. He watched as Paris on Chris' arm and Lane on Matt's arm approached him before separating, the women to stand across and to the right of him and the men to stand beside him to his left. He couldn't help but smile as Mimi pranced down the aisle, tossing flower petals to and fro across the aisle runner while her older brother walked stoically beside her until they reached the rest of the bridal party and likewise split themselves to the proper sides of the party. Jess had barely registered that the door had closed until he saw Lorelai shift and heard the music change to a more up-beat tempo of Pachelbel's Cannon. A glance at Lane's pleased grin told him that she had been the one to convince her husband, Zach, and Brian to play the Piano Guys' variation and made a mental note to thank her and Dave later.

All thoughts stopped for him when he looked up and met the eyes of his bride, and then all hit him at once. All else faded away but her, he barely acknowledged her father guiding her down the aisle. She was so beautiful, not only physically, but she was radiating joy and peace. Like always her presence soothed and calmed his racing thoughts. He only realized he was standing, mouth agape, when Matt leaned over and told him to lift his jaw up off the floor. He tried to close his mouth, but the grin that spread across his lips prevented it. Soon enough, the music stopped and Luke hugged his daughter, whispering that he loved her before placing her small hand into Jess' strong one.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" The good pastor asked.

"Her mother and I do." Luke responded, his voice barely controlled, before taking his seat beside his wife.

"You did good." Lorelai whispered in his hear, patting his knee.

"She's too young," He sighed.

"She's 25, Babe." Lorelai reminded him, "I wasn't much older than she is when we married, and I had a kid."

Luke's response was cut off by the Reverend's voice, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of God and these witnesses…" Before long it was time for the vows and the pastor gave a slight nod to Jess to indicate that it was time for him to speak.

"Rory, I was 15 when I first met you and you were 11 and already very pretty. I could tell back then that you were going to make some man very happy, but I had no way of knowing back then that the man would be me. We have gone through so much together and apart. Sometime over the course of our letters, rare visits when we were both in school, deployments, and political tours, I fell in love with you. You are still as beautiful as ever, inside and out. After all the messed-up things I've seen and experienced, your gentleness and compassion, even when life throws you a curveball that neither of us expected or you deserved, has shown me that there are better things in this world. While we may have our fights, and boy do we have our fights," The guests chuckled, "I know that I would rather have you fighting with and beside me when times get hard than anyone else, even the two bozos standing behind me. I promise to always be faithful to you, to love you through the hard times, and to protect you with my life. I love you."

"Thank you Jess," The reverend smiled gently at the young man before turning to the young bride, "Rory?"

"Jess, I likewise remember the day we met, and if you thought I was pretty back then you were really good at hiding it. I was so fascinated by you; I'd never met anyone who loved to read as much as I do. I know I probably came off as a pest, insisting on sitting and doing my homework beside you while Mom and Dad debated taking you in. Actually, debated isn't the right word; figured out the logistics would be a better term. Whatever it was, it brought you into my life. We became fast friends, then you left for school and we wrote letters. You soon became one of my best friends along with Lane, my mom, and Paris." Rory smiled at him, "Many years later, the beginning of my junior year of high school to be exact, I realized I was starting to fall for you. Your passion, your drive to do what's right and to help people was something I'd only ever seen in two men before you. I knew if you were anything like them, I could trust you with my heart. At the same time, though, I knew we couldn't be together and that hurt, I understood the reasons why, but I always felt like a piece of me was missing. When you left, you took my heart with you. We continued to correspond by written word and the very rare phone call, through college and deployments we still stayed in contact. Even during the brief time that I lost touch with reality, you were the one to bring me back from the abyss. One letter was all it took, one letter saying the exact same things everyone else had been saying was all I needed to realize that perhaps there was something, someone, better for me than what I already had. Last year when I stumbled upon your bookstore and your book, I was so glad to see you again. A couple nights later when you saved me and we danced, it hit me how much I loved you. Being in your arms was like coming home, I knew that with you was where I am supposed to be. We've had to endure tragedies, regrowth, and sorrow in the past year and a half, but through it all, we met these challenges together. So long as we always meet everything that life throws at us together, we will truly join the strong and sturdy ranks of the Gilmore and Danes families who came before us. You stole my heart long ago, or maybe I gave it to you without realizing, but nonetheless you have always kept it safe, I love you Dodger."

"May I please have the rings?" The pastor asked as Billy approached and handed the requested items to him, "These bands which date back to ancient times, are a symbol of how love is supposed to be. They are solid, circular, with no defined beginning or end; this is how love should be, no clear beginning or end. Let these be a reminder to you both of the unending and unfailing love you share."

Reverend skinner handed the rings to them one by one as they repeated the words he led them through the exchange. Jess was first, his voice clear and strong as he slid the cool metal band over the fourth finger of her left hand, "I, Jessup William Mariano, take you Lorelai Leigh Amelia Danes to be my lawfully wedded wife. Accept this ring as a token and symbol of my never-ending love for you."

Rory smiled gently at him as she repeated the same action, "I, Lorelai Leigh Amelia Danes, take you to be my lawfully wedded husband. Accept this ring as a token and symbol of my never-ending love for you."

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife, what God has joined together let no man separate. You may kiss your bride," Jess didn't have to be told twice as he scooped Rory into his arms, his lips crashing into hers for a searing kiss that sent shivers down to her toes. What he didn't expect, although he later wondered why, was that her equally passionate response would leave him equally weak kneed. As the separated and turned toward the applauding guests, he barely registered the pastor presenting them, "I now present Captain and Mrs. Jess Mariano!"

They smiled once more at each other before sharing a brief kiss and walking down the aisle, receiving congratulations all the way down. When they reached the back row, they were surprised to see a small family standing with a group of tastefully suited men.

"We wanted to come and offer our congratulations," The older man spoke, a kind smile on his lips before taking a quick glance back at the men behind him and turning once more to the newlyweds "We wish we could stay for the reception, but you know how these guys are."

"We understand," Jess gave him a knowing smile.

"It was a lovely ceremony," The older man's wife added.

"Thank you," Rory squeezed Jess' hand, "We liked it."

"You take good care of her, you don't find girls like her every day," The man admonished Jess, "I'll see you back on the mainland after your honeymoon."

"Yes sir," Jess nodded.

"You look very pretty, Rory," The older of the two young girls hugged Rory's waist before stepping back so her younger sister could do the same.

"Rory!" Mimi ran up to them, "Mom says to move your butts, you're blocking traffic. Who are they?"

"Mimi, I would like you to meet Malia and Sasha and their parents Mr. and Mrs. Obama." Rory introduced her, "Mr. President, Mrs. Obama, girls, I'd like you to meet Amelia Danes, my little sister."

"It's very nice to meet you," Mimi responded using her best 'grandma manners' voice.

"It's nice to meet you too," The older woman smiled at her, "You're just as pretty as your sister."

"Thank you." Mimi blushed, "Are you coming to the reception?" She asked seeing that Sasha and Malia were not that much older than she was.

"No, I'm sorry, have to go." The older man explained with a kind smile, "But it was nice meeting you. Michelle, girls, we should probably get going before the brute squad gets restless."

"Hey," Jess acted vaguely offended, "I'm on the brute squad."

"You are the brute squad," Rory chuckled.

"Only with you," Jess kissed her forehead. "I'll see you in a couple weeks, Sir."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but don't come back too soon." The president shook Jess' hand and kissed Rory's cheek before leading his family back into the hotel, flanked by their security detail. While Rory and Jess set about getting pictures done while their guests went on to the reception hall.

The reception was lovely, somehow Sookie and Lorelai had somehow convinced the hotel to let Sookie cater the event. There was a dance floor in the middle of the room, round tables sat on the east and west sides of the floor while the head table and DJ booth/bandstand sat across the floor on the north and south. Each table had a red or blue tablecloth on it and floating votive candles in small bowls as centerpieces. The room was dimly lit by a large chandelier, and the music the DJ provided was perfect.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for Hep Alien to come up and work their magic, let's welcome them to the stage." The DJ's voice rang out over the speakers. The band mounted the stage amid cheers and applause from the guests. "It is now time for the first dance, Jess and Rory, would you please take the floor?"

Jess stood and offered his hand to his bride before leading her out onto the floor. They both smiled as Hep Alien played the first few bars of _London Calling_ before Dave came to the microphone, "Just kidding folks," He chuckled before the band quickly changed to _God Bless the Broken Road_. While they knew the song was overdone as a wedding song, it truly was a song befitting their relationship. As they had both stated in their vows, it had been a long, hard journey to get them here. They both knew fate, or God, had led them to this place where they were. Before they knew it, the song was over and the DJ was announcing the next dance.

Luke smoothly strode toward the newlyweds, "May I have this dance?"

"Gee, I don't know, Uncle Luke, you might step on my toes," Jess teased.

"I wasn't talking to you, Smartass, I was talking to your wife." Luke rolled his eyes. At his words, both Rory and Jess beamed, reveling briefly in the moment, acknowledging the events of that evening.

"I would love to," Rory smiled at her dad, slipping her hand from her husband's and placing it into the offered palm of her father's. "I'll see you in a bit," She kissed her husband's cheek then followed her father toward the center of the floor as the band started playing _I Loved Her First_. "They're in an awful country mood tonight." Rory murmured, her head resting on her father's shoulder.

"The first one was on them, I picked this one out." Luke kissed her forehead. "I love you baby girl."

"I love you too, Daddy." The pair danced until the last chords faded and Luke led her back to her table.

"You with the uniform and the hair," Jess looked up to see his mother in law standing before him with a smirk, and upturned, challenging eyebrow, and an outstretched hand, "Your mom can't be here, whether or not you want her to be, but I can't let you miss out on this. You're dancing with me."

"Well with an offer like that…" Jess matched her smirk and chuckled. He led Lorelai onto the floor as the opening bars of _Forever Young_ began to play. "I was wondering when they were going to break from the country music, not that the songs before weren't appropriate."

"I figured you'd appreciate it, the only other option was _I Hope You Dance_ but they guys don't have the range and Lane, love her as I do, has the voice of a cat in heat." Lorelai chuckled.

"That's some description," Jess laughed, "Does she know that's your opinion?"

"Those are her words." Lorelai countered as they shared a laugh.

The rest of the evening passed smoothly, capped by the fireworks display at midnight over the bay. Although Jess and Rory enjoyed and appreciated everything that their family and friends had done for them, they were anxious to retire back to their room. The minute the door closed, Rory attacked her husband's lips. "You have idea how badly I've wanted to get this uniform off you all day," She said between kisses, "You know what it does for me."

"Probably about what this dress does for me," Jess replied pulling her closer to his body to make his point, grinning at the small moan that escaped his bride's lips as she felt him pressed against her stomach.

"It's a good thing those pants are dark, or else that would have been extremely obvious." She giggled.

"Very good thing." He murmured against her lips, "Especially when they had the garter toss. Jesus Rory, you had me deep diving for that thing, what did you do hike it up?"

"I thought you liked spelunking." She teased, "And no, I didn't hike it up." He gave her a doubtful look, "I had Lane do it."

"I'm getting images in my head that I'm sure Dave would not appreciate." Jess groaned.

"No more than he likely had when Lane told him," Rory laughed, "He turned bright red."

"How do you know?"

"They were just off to my left, I heard him make a comment about how long it was taking for you to retrieve the garter." Rory explained, blushing, "I heard Lane tell him how far up she'd put it, although she did exaggerate how high she'd gone. Come to think, I didn't see them for a while after that…" She smirked.

"Hmmm, I wonder why." Jess rolled his eyes, pulling her into his arms once more, holding her with his left arm as his right hand trailed the neckline of his wife's dress before dropping to her waist once more. "I was having a hard-enough time not taking you and running after that, but I knew you wanted to see the fireworks." He kissed her deeply as his fingers began to loosen the ties of her dress, slowly the panels began to shift until the dress was only being held up by the pressure between their bodies.

"No fair," Rory playfully pouted, "You're all done up in the front."

Jess just chuckled and stepped back, allowing her dress to float to the floor. The sight of her in her lingerie and heels nearly made him swallow his tongue. "Wow," Was all he got out before Rory's lips were on his as she made quick work of the buckles, hooks, and buttons of his dress uniform. He stood in awe as she reverently removed the belt from his pants, freeing the sword and placing it on the dresser. She quickly returned to him, sliding his jacket from his shoulders and helping him out of the rest of his garments until they were both standing there wearing nothing but their underwear and leaving nothing to the imagination.

He felt her fingers go to his waistband as she played her fingertips over him, he wanted her so badly, but just as much, he wanted to make sure they took their time. He swiftly took her wrists in his hands and placed them around his neck as he kissed her and undid the corset before sliding it between them. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he picked her up and laid her on the bed. He breathed a sigh of relief that the bed was so close, the friction between their bodies was making every touch, every move, more intense. Before long there were no more barriers between them, they had never made love this way before, but had discussed it and decided to allow whatever happens to happen.

The only thought that ran through his mind was that he'd never felt closer to her than he did that night. As the sun broke over the horizon, he pulled his bride closer to him, loving how her skin felt against him. The whisper of breath where her head rested on his shoulder, the feel of her softness meeting and molding to the sharp edges and planes of his body. Just before drifting off to sleep he wondered if tonight had led to anything more than bringing them closer together and smiled. He knew most men would be terrified at the prospect, but the idea excited him. He could imagine watching her grow, then later holding their children in his arms.

Little did he know; the same thoughts were running through his wife's head. They'd only decided to let things happen as they may a few nights before and had not been together since until that night. She smiled when she turned over and Jess' arms surrounded her, his hand protectively over her lower abdomen as if protecting it, if there even was an 'it' to protect. The idea that an 'it' was possible was thrilling to her. While she never would have admitted it to anyone, she always wanted to be a mom. She just knew that when and if an 'it' were to ever come along, it would be wonderful. She shifted one last time grinning at the realization the Jess was now her husband in all ways, arms pull her closer to him. She loved this man and looked forward to their future, whatever it might bring.


	45. Epilogue

**September 5, 2012  
Black, White, and Read  
06:15 hours**

Lulu and Kirk Gleason made their way into the Black, White, and Read bookstore. It was a cool Northeastern morning and the leaves were already starting to change. They had received a phone call a week ago that informed them that they were to meet their replacements at the bookstore. Taylor hadn't gotten into any more trouble since the incident 15 years before, and they, like their predecessor, were ready to retire and hand his care over to new blood.

Kirk opened the door for his wife as the bells rang out, "We'll be there in a sec, make yourselves comfortable." They heard from the back room, a voice that was most definitely was not Andrew's, as they walked toward the miss-matched collection of furniture and took a seat. Before long they were met by a tall man with dirty blond hair. "Marshal Matthew Wentworth," The younger man offered his hand. "It is nice to meet you Marshals Gleason. I'm sorry my partner is not here to meet you as well; he is currently at home sleeping as he spent all of last night in the hospital.

"Well that's highly unprofessional," Kirk balked, "The night Boy-Kirk was born I was up all night with Lulu and still showed for work the next day."

"That's different, Darling," The older woman cooed at her husband, "You only had to go as far as my bedside to participate in the morning briefing. Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine," The younger man smiled gently, "It was just a false alarm."

"Well I'm glad," Lulu nodded, "I hope they stay that way. Are you and your partner briefed and up to date with the subject's dossier?"

"Yes ma'am, we have both been thoroughly briefed," Marshal Davis nodded "We are going to use the bookstore as our cover, similar to how retired Marshal Danes used the diner."

"So you will be keeping it as a bookstore?" Kirk's eyes widened, "May I have a job?"

"No," The younger marshal shook his head, "We already have staffing well in hand; besides we've been warned about you already. This bookstore will serve as an extension location to a store we own in Philadelphia."

"Warned?" Kirk practically screamed, "Warned by whom?"

Before Matt could answer, the phone rang, causing him to step away. "I'm sorry, but this is an important call from a vendor and he is very difficult to get in contact with. I assure you everything is well in hand." Matt informed them, "You are officially relieved of your duties."

"But…" Kirk started before being interrupted by his wife.

"We must be on our way, Darling, it's little Kirk's first day of school," Lulu took Kirk's hand guiding him from the store in the same manner as she would their son.

Matt just shook his head and returned to his call. "So, how is she?"

"Stubborn as ever" His partner chuckled, "Insisted on working today."

"Let her, next time she may not have the option." Matt rolled his eyes.

"I know, but what was she thinking taking this job so close to her due date?" Came the frustrated sigh.

"Probably the same thing you were thinking, it would keep her occupied until Sid or Nancy is born." Matt chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I had a similar argument about the working environment at Truncheon Prime the other day. Seems Bridgette is driving Chris just as crazy as your wife is driving you."

"What were we thinking, both our wives getting pregnant at the same time?" His partner chuckled.

"'Ersatz cousins for the kids would be kind of cool.' I believe was the consensus." Matt shook his head as if his partner could see him. "You coming in soon?"

"Yeah, I want to make sure she gets to work okay." His friend shrugged.

"It's not as if she doesn't already know the way." Matt laughed.

"I know, I'm more concerned about her getting distracted."

"You know he won't let her." Matt reminded him.

"Allow me my indulgences, will you?" Matt could almost see his friend's smirk over the phone line. "I'll see you later."

"See ya."

 **Jess' Car  
0645 hours**

"You know, you didn't have to drive me," Rory rolled her eyes as her husband navigated the roads of the upscale area where her new job was located.

"I know, I just wanted to." Jess shrugged. "You will call me if anything, you know, happens."

"Of course," Rory smiled, placing her hand over his on the gear shift. "I would have to; you have the car."

Jess just rolled his eyes and pulled into the parking lot. "I still can't believe you work here." He sighed looking up at the imposing stone building.

"Well I have to work and you were the one who decided to resign the Secret Service and move." Rory reminded him.

"I didn't hear any complaints out of you," Jess countered, "I believe your exact words were 'Thank God I can finally quit the press corps.' I thought you liked your job."

"I did but the travel and everything else was so demanding," She sighed.

"So's this." Jess chuckled.

"True, but this is the kind of demanding I can deal with while curled up with my husband on the sofa." She kissed his cheek before grabbing her old messenger bag and kissing Jess' cheek, "I should be done around 5, pick me up then."

"Is this what the next few weeks are going to be like?" Jess teased, "Me up at the ass-crack of dawn to drag you to work only to come back in rush hour traffic to pick you up and go back into the aforementioned rush hour traffic to come home."

"Hey," Came a low voice from beside Rory. The young man was the spitting image of his father, pale blue eyes, and light brown hair, built like a linebacker which was clear under his uniform, "Give me a bit and I can take my performance exam for my license."

"Of course you will, Billy," Rory cooed, patting her little brother – how now stood nearly a foot taller than her – on the cheek. "Then poor, put out, Jess won't have to worry about shuttling his very pregnant wife to and from work."

Jess just rolled his eyes, "I love you, be careful."

"I will," Rory promised for the 20th time that day and giving him a brief kiss. "I love you too."

"You keep an eye on her." Jess turned his sights to the young man.

"Yes sir," Billy executed a sharp solute.

"Smart ass," Jess muttered as he slowly pulled passed the pair and out of the parking lot.

"Don't think you're going to get bonus points for driving me once you do get that license." She poked her brother's side after checking that no one was looking.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Billy smiled and ran ahead, "See you later, _Mrs. Mariano_!"

"No running in the halls, Mr. Danes!" She called after him, a laugh in her voice.

 **Truncheon Two  
0745 hours**

"What is the meaning of calling me here at this hour?" Taylor demanded, barging into the transitioning bookstore. "Don't you know who I am? I have a business to run!"

"I'm sure that your staff are more than capable of opening the grocery, and I know you don't open the ice cream shoppe until after 3:30 so as to not entice children to cut class to get a frozen treat." The young man behind the counter responded.

"And just who the hell are you?" The older man nearly growled at the young man's impertinence.

"My name is Matt," The young man offered his hand, "My partner will be by in a bit to explain it all to you. He's just running a bit behind, please take a seat."

Taylor muttered to himself as he lowered himself into one of the overstuffed arm chairs in the center of the room. He had just picked up the local paper to peruse the front page when another young man bustled in. Taylor couldn't see his face, but there was something strangely familiar about the new comer. Something in the way he moved echoed back to another place in time. He watched as the young man moved with a sure step toward the back room as he swiftly removed his leather jacket, the collar of which was turned up, hiding his face. If you stopped to notice the dark wash jeans and converse on the man's feet, you could almost mistake him for someone performing at Danny Zuko. Taylor heard banging from the back room and a slamming door then silence followed shortly thereafter by the sound of a door opening and closing once more and the rhythmic sounds of someone descending stairs.

A moment later, the young man returned, now that his jacket was gone, it revealed that he was wearing a grey t-shirt with a long-sleeved blue oxford shirt which was unbuttoned. If you looked close enough, you could see the holster the shirt hid. It seemed Matt also had one, something that made Taylor blanch at the implication of these two armed men wanting to speak with him in an urgent matter. "At the risk of being rude, what am I doing here?"

"Mr. Doose," The darker haired man took a seat across from him, the blonde man just to the side, "As you may already know the Gleasons have resigned their commission. We are your new security detail."

Taylor took in the young man in front of him, from his dark hair, deep brown eyes, olive skin, he looked so familiar but the older man was still having difficulty placing him. "Have we met?"

"Yeah, a long time ago." The young man smirked, "The name's Jess Mariano, Matt over here," He shot a thumb at his partner, "Is my partner. We are the new marshals assigned to you."

"You're Luke's nephew? The one who married Rory?" The older man pieced it together. "The one who figured out who those thugs…"

"Guess they wanted to put it back in the family for your protection." Jess shrugged, before more could be said a shrill sound rang out through the store. "Excuse me." Jess stood removing his cell phone from his back pocket, "Hello? …Billy, slow down… uh huh… uh huh…. Okay, you stay with her, I'll meet your there soon." He quickly shot an excited and nervous look at his partner. "Her water broke in the middle of her intro to English Lit class. Thank God Billy is in the class. I have to go."

"Go, give that wife of yours a kiss for me, let me know if it's a Sid or Nancy." Matt called after Jess who had run upstairs to disarm and grab his coat before rushing out the door.

"Will do!"

"Well, that was rude." Taylor huffed.

"It's his first kid, lay off." Matt rolled his eyes.

 **September 6, 2012  
Hartford Memorial  
0330 hours**

"I see the head!" The doctor called as Rory bore down, squeezing the life out of her husband's hand.

"You're doing great, Hun." Jess promised.

"Go to hell," Rory grunted.

"Okay, one more, big push, 10, 9, 8…" The silence was broken by a loud wail. "Congratulations, it's a girl!"

"Lori," Rory sighed as the nurse placed the swaddled infant in her arms, "She's a Lori."

"You did so good," Jess looked at his little girl, "She looks just like you."

"No, she's all Mariano." Rory kissed the girl's nose.

"Is it here yet?" Lorelai asked from the door once the medical staff had cleaned Rory and the baby up and had left.

"Yes, she's here, you can come on in." Rory smiled up from where she sat nursing her child.

The full complement of Danes entered the room, "Aw jeeze," Rory chuckled at the stereo reactions from her father and brother.

"Oh get over it," Rory rolled her eyes, "This is how Mom fed all of us. I'm showing less skin than an underwear model." She watched both men shift uncomfortably refusing to meet her eyes. With a sigh, she gestured for Jess to hand her a receiving blanket and quickly covered herself and little Lori. "Okay, the boob has been put away, you bit babies."

"I want to meet my grandbaby!" Lorelai complained.

"You will in a minute." Rory informed her, "As soon as she's done eating since certain people here can't take the sight."

"Fine," Lorelai sat on the side of her daughter's bed, sneaking glances under the blanket from time to time, "She looks a lot like Jess doesn't she?"

"Yeah, he doesn't believe it though." Rory chuckled before the sound in the room dissipated. "Okay now it's too quiet, someone entertain me, what's new in the Hollow?"

"I had just finished my meeting with Taylor when Billy called me to tell me you were in labor." Jess shrugged.

"We have a new boy at school, he's really cute." Mimi grinned, tossing her long strawberry blonde locks over her shoulder.

"You're too young." Luke reprimanded. "We have a new bread supplier." He added.

"I've decided to join the Marine JrROTC unit at Chilton." Billy spoke up with brought another cover of silence over the room.

"Bill…" Lorelai was the first to speak, a mix of concern, pride, and fear over her face. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," Billy nodded, "And it's not like I'm enlisting, I'm just going through ROTC in hopes of getting into a good college. Maybe even Navy."

"How far out are you thinking?" Luke asked the question that hung in everyone's mind, "Is this just a school-only kind of thing or are you thinking it might eventually be long term?"

"I don't know yet," Billy shrugged, meeting the eyes of both Luke and Jess, "I mean the officer route worked well for you two, and Grandpa so I can't completely discard it. I guess I'll just play it by ear for now and cross that bridge when I get to it."

"Whatever you choose, we're proud of you." Rory smiled as she quickly adjusted her position and the baby's and removed the blanket to burp the child. "Who knows, maybe one day you'll meet a crazy, but lovable caffeine addict of your own."

"You are pretty loveable," Jess kissed his wife's forehead.

"Sap." She chuckled.

"Only for my girls." He smiled.

"So, we've all been eagerly anticipating Baby Mariano's arrival," Lorelai spoke up, breaking the moment between her daughter and son-in-law, "Are you ever going to tell us her name?"

Rory and Jess shared a smile before Rory turned the little girl so everyone could see her, "We would like you to meet Lorelai Emily Mariano, or Lori." She smiled proudly as her mom and younger sister cooed over the little girl. Luke stood in the corner, a look of pride on his face, as he took in his wife, nephew, children, and now his first granddaughter; all healthy, all happy, and all safe. Finally, after all this time his world, once again, was complete.

"Hey Grandpa," Jess broke the older man's thoughts, somehow he had managed to get the little girl away from the women and was now holding her snug in his arms, "Do you want to meet your granddaughter?"

"I don't know," Luke shifted, "I don't want to drop her."

"It's okay," Jess gently passed the girl into Luke's arms, "Mimi and Billy have no permanent damage from the times you dropped them on their heads."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Luke rolled his eyes, a wry smile on his lips before taking a good look at his granddaughter. "She looks just like you, but she has Rory's eyes."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me." The younger man shrugged, "I don't see it."

"You know you're gonna be in big trouble when she's older."

"No more than you were and are." Jess smirked. "But I figure I'm okay, she's got me, her grandpa, and an uncle, all of whom would kick the ever-loving snot out of any guy who even looked at her the wrong way."

"'Ever-loving snot?'" Luke chuckled.

"I'm trying to watch my language around the kid." Jess shrugged, "Supposedly it's the grown-up thing to do."

"Rory's been good for you." Luke observed, "And you for her."

"Yeah she has," Jess agreed, "You and Lorelai had a big part of it too."

"Not so much," Luke shook his head, "We just provided space whenever you weren't in school or on tour of duty. She provided you with a knowledge of home."

"She is my home." Jess smiled softly, "Wherever she and Lori are, that's home."

"Exactly." Luke nodded before handing the sleeping girl back to her father, "Now go bond with your daughter and wife, I'm gonna take mine home."

"Good luck prying her from her daughter," Jess chuckled before heading over to the other side of Rory's bed. "Room for two more?"

"Always, but there seems to be a clingy monkey in my bed," Rory chuckled trying to scoot closer to her mom so as to hint for the older woman to vacate the area. "You better move before I lactate all over you."

"Aw jeeze," Billy groaned he had switched places with Jess and was now standing next to his father who looked equally disgusted, "Was that really necessary?"

"No, but it did the trick," Rory smiled smugly as her mother slid out and husband climbed into the bed with her. "Why don't you all go home? I know I could use some rest, and I'm sure Jess could too. Two nights in a row being here takes a lot out of you."

"Okay, bye, Mommy's proud of you." Lorelai kissed her forehead.

"Bye Princess," Luke smiled warmly at her before guiding his children from the room.

"We finally have it," Rory murmured.

"What?" Her husband, half asleep with the baby on his chest mumbled.

"The whole package," She smiled, kissing him and running a finger over their daughter's fresh skin, "A home, a baby, great jobs, and family close by. I couldn't ask for more."

"Me either," Jess smiled, "Now c'mere."

Rory snuggled into her husband's side, their hands joined over their daughter's back, as they drifted off to sleep, dreaming of their lives, past, present, and future.


End file.
